Am I Forgiven?
by SevenMegan
Summary: He has been locked in small rooms and beaten down most of his life. She had a happy childhood that turned very wrong. They may be each others only hope.
1. This is Okay, Really

The shadow's head slammed backwards against the stone wall of his prison. He could taste the blood filling his mouth after that last hit and he spat it out. The moblin guard that had punched him snorted with disgust at the shadow. "Is that all you got?" He asked angrily. The shadow had been beaten around by these guards and occasionally his creator himself since the day he'd been created. He knew why, he was the very shadow image of his creator's greatest adversary. This had been explained to him by his creator after he had been created. It had also been explained that he must have the ability to feel pain beaten out of him. It was his duty to kill and replace the man he'd been copied after, then his creator would reward him greatly. The moblin punched him again, this time in the stomach. Unfortunately, he groaned when the fist met his stomach, still feeling pain. The guard left him on his knees panting. "Come back here," He yelled, fighting against his chains "You're not done with me yet." His commands were of course ignored.

He couldn't tell from his dark cell how long he had been down there, but he knew it had been a few days since he'd seen his creator. He missed the sound of his voice, the only voice he'd ever heard. It had even been hours since the guard had left him alone and he missed even that. He curled up on the stone floor and, convincing himself he wasn't lonely, he went to sleep.

He heard his cell door open. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep. A large hand grabbed him by his hair and pulled him upright. "Creator." He felt a wash of relief come over him. Ganondorf looked him in the eyes as though he was searching for something. Then he dropped him to the floor again.

A sword dropped in front of him. "Pick it up." The blade was dark and evil looking. "You're ready to learn." Dark Link couldn't contain his smile. He had waited for this for a long time. He felt the swift kick to his gut but didn't give any signs that he noticed besides a slight exhalation. "Your happiness is an emotion."

* * *

Her bare feet touched the cold barn floor. The early autumn air made her shiver slightly and she groped for her boots in the dark. One of the horses gave a soft snort in his sleep but the morning was otherwise so quiet she could almost swear she could hear the dust falling on various surfaces. She hummed her mother's song quietly to herself, it was against the rules, but it comforted her. She stepped out into the foggy morning and took a deep breath of the fresh, cool air. Her first task was gathering the morning eggs from the cuckoos. As she walked across the field the hem of her skirt became wet with dew and it slapped against her legs, making an unpleasant cold, itchy feeling.

These quiet moments were the best part of her day, because her uncle Ingo was still asleep. He'd become very unstable within the last few years and she was never sure when he'd have another violent outburst. He'd chased her father off the ranch only a year after King Ganondorf had usurped the Hylian throne. He'd been gamboling away any profits the ranch had been making ever since and had left Malon to care for all of the chores. He used to be very hardworking and even kind but it seemed something dark had twisted his heart.

She'd promised her father she'd take care of the ranch for him while he was gone. He might be dead now for all she knew, but she just couldn't let the ranch go. She'd thought of running herself, but the horses... no, she couldn't bring herself to leave them behind.

* * *

He was learning quickly, his creator said he'd known he would. After a few short hours, Ganondorf was sure he was competent. "Good. You're technique copied flawlessly. You're as learned as your opponent with one advantage, he feels pain." Ganondorf pointed to the shadow's arm, he hadn't even noticed it'd been bleeding. The sleeve of his tunic was soaked through and the blood stood out against his grey skin. "You're ready."

"What's taking you so long, girl?" Uncle Ingo was impatient for his breakfast. "I'm a busy man with a business to manage. I can't be expected to do it on an empty stomach." She hung her head and bit her lip as she slid the eggs from her frying pan onto his plate. She didn't expect the hard slap that met her cheek. "And wipe that sour expression off your face. You think you work harder than me? You're wrong." She was denied breakfast and ordered to go milk the cows and let the horses out to the corral.


	2. I Promise

Malon dropped her bucket and the water spilled out onto the grass. Ingo was in the corral and he wasn't alone. King Ganondorf was with him. Her uncle was showing the kind a horse, not just any horse though, Epona. Epona had been the last horse her mother had bred before she had died. Epona was Malon's personal house, at least she was back when her father had owned the ranch. She stepped backwards and then ran into the barn before she could be seen. "Not this, not this." She whispered frantically as she climbed up to her hayloft and laid on her belly at the sill of her window. Here she could see without being seen.

"This is the finest horse I have." Ingo was saying proudly he held her reigns tightly to keep the poor skittish horse from running off. Epona had never liked strangers.

Ganondorf was stroking his chin, he seemed to like what he was seeing. "When can you have her ready for me?" He asked with a large smile.

"I can have her delivered next week." Malon's breathing came faster and heavier. Her heart was racing and she could hear her blood pumping in her ears. Just one week? She needed to come up with a way to stop this, fast.

* * *

He was still chained while sitting in the back of the rickety cart that carried him to his new destination. Soon now, all he had to do was carry out his purpose and his creator would set him free. The moblins driving the cart grunted to each other in their foul, incomprehensible language that allowed the shadow to think and not pay much attention to his guards. He didn't know why he needed chained, surely it wasn't expected he'd go against his creators plans. His creator trusted him with this most important assignment. He trusted his creator with his very life, so he did not fight the chains.

They reached the drained lake bed just before sunrise and the moblins threw a heavy blanket over the shadow. He couldn't see anything and there was no warning as he became surrounded by cold water. He opened his mouth to protest but it was too late and held his breath as he felt himself being carried deeper. The soaking, heavy blanket was pulled off of him and he took a deep breath. The moblins dragged him into a dark, wide room with a shallow layer of water on the floor. They left him there and the doors were barred behind him. All he could do now was wait for his double to walk through the door.

* * *

She sat out in the corral that night with Epona, stroking her mane and singing softly to her. She cried softly and pressed her face against the horses neck. She heard footsteps behind her and frightened, she turned around to see a gentle face. She was sure she recognized him, but it had been such a long time. "Malon." He said softly.

"I remember you?" She said quietly. "You! Fai- Link." She had to stop herself from using his childish nickname. After all it had been almost seven years since she'd seen him.

"You're crying." He said sadly. "Why?" Something about his demeanor was childish and quiet.

"You've been gone a long time," She wiped her tears away, "And the ranch is broken now." She briefly explained to him her situation and he listened quietly. They sat in the damp grass together and when she was done he nodded and stood up. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"I'm going to fix this." He said sternly. "I just need to figure out how."


	3. I'm sorry, but I'm Not

Malon hid behind the barn and watch Link shake hands with Ingo. His gambling weakness could not be restrained and he bet the horse he had already promised the king in a race. They mounted and Ingo took an early start. "Cheater!" Malon hissed but Link was quickly catching up to him. The track around the corral wasn't very large and the two men rounded the last corner soon enough with Link coming out ahead. In the brief moment as he passed her, Malon could see the look of utter panic spread across her uncle's face. She had to restrain herself from celebrating as Link crossed the finish line. He began to celebrate as well when Ingo started crossing the yard towards the house. Link followed. "We had an arrangement?" Link said sternly.

"As I promised, you may keep the horse, but you can never leave." He laughed as he locked the gate behind him. He had to be drunk, the plan was childish and impractical. How was the ranch supposed to do business if it was constantly locked up? Was Ingo planning to stand there until Link agreed not to take the horse? He'd give up sooner or later, Malon was sure.

Link on the other hand was impatient and needed to prove something. He turned around, marched back to Epona, and mounted her. Looking around for a moment he looked back at Malon and winked and then sped Epona off at a gallop. They were running straight towards the rocky walls that surrounded the ranch. At this speed they would break their necks. "What are yo-" She was cut off to marvel at the sight of Link and Epona flying over the wall together.

"NOOOOOO!" Ingo screamed. He threw himself to his knees. Malon walked over to him to see he was crying into the grass. For a moment, she felt a stirring of sympathy. She thought of the man who'd helped raise her and taught her everything she knew about taking care of the ranch. He looked up at her with damp cheeks. "Malon." He whimpered, "What are we going to do? I was going to save our ranch with that horse."

"What do you mean?" Malon knelt down and grabbed the man by his shoulders.

"I was a fool!" He cried out. "I gambled away every asset this place had and I needed more time to pay off my debt. I was going to present that horse to the king to buy us some of his favor. It would have given me time to... to make things right."

She dropped him in the grass and left him to cry there. She ran to her bed in the hayloft where she could be left alone. She didn't want to look at anyone or speak to anyone. Her home had been slowly dismantled away from her and she'd done nothing to stop it. She thought of her father asking her to take care of the ranch, she thought of her mother asking her to take care of her father. She'd failed them both. "I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

Outside her window in the grass she could hear Ingo crying still. "I'm sorry." He was saying to no one, "I'm sorry."

* * *

The shadow must have been locked in the room for days. Standing ankle deep in the cold water of the room made him too cold and he'd given up on wearing his boots altogether. He wished he had a dry area somewhere to stand on and that was when he discovered something very special about his prison. A sandy bar rose from the center of the room where the shadow could dry his feet. He wished then that he had something to rest against, a gnarled, ugly, dead tree rose out of the sandy bar. He decided to try and test the limits of the room further. He looked at the stone walls around him. He had always been trapped in by stone walls. "I wish for sky." He said out loud and the room complied, the walls took on the appearance of a murky gray sky.

He had tried building a few more things into the landscape but they were small and pathetic and made the room look more barren than when it was just a tree and an island and the sky. He tried walking toward the horizon once as well only to run into the barrier that was still in reality, just a stone wall. He sighed and looked around his new habitat. "Home sweet home." He muttered bitterly.

Finally he heard something from the door outside his little haven and he hid behind the only thing he had, his tree. The man who entered looked just like him, or rather, something better. He looked strong and healthy. He had golden hair and deep blue eyes that were made all the more noticeable by the color of his tunic. In his left hand, he held a bright beautiful sword. The shadow felt a deep envy grow up inside of him. He waited quietly and watched his double pass him at the tree. When the double turned around, the shadow struck quickly.

His double was ready for him and their steel sang as they connected. The shadow cried out in surprise as a memory flashed through his mind. The smell of hay, and the warmth of a golden sunlight. His double must have experience something similar because he had cried out as well. The shadow brushed it off and rushed at his double again, and again their blades met. Both men paused again, taking deep breaths. A soft voice was singing in the distance and there was soft ground beneath him. He shook it off to see his double coming back for another swing. This time, the shadow wasn't fast enough. He didn't feel the sword cut into his arm and he backed away quickly for his next attack. "Stop doing that!" The double growled. Their blades met again. The shadow was running his fingers over the cool grass, a breeze ruffled his hair a bit.

The double, when the two swords met, was having a completely different experience. *shink* He was chained by his wrists in a cold, damp room. *clang* A fist met his stomach and made him double over. *Clang* The back of his head met violently with a wall.

"I said stop it!" The double growled again. The shadow had figured it out. These were memories, and if he was getting the double's... He swung again, meeting the double in the shoulder. He sat up from the grass and looked towards where the song was coming from. A young girl was walking towards him, continuously singing the song. _Malon._ The name echoed in his head.

"Are you frightened?" He asked his double tauntingly. "I know your thoughts." He struck his double in the hand, his sword fell into the water. His double stumbled back, holding up his shield for protection. "Your desire to run away from your duty." He struck the shield with the butt of his sword, causing his double to stumble back further. "After all, no one asked you if you wanted to be a hero, right?" The double stumbled backwards once more and slid onto the little sandy island. "Are you afraid to give in to your own dark side and forsake everyone? Even Malon?"

His doubles eyes widened and, like a fierce animal, he lunged forward, trying to push back his opponent with just the shield. The shadow knocked the shield away from his double and their eyes met for a moment. The shadow smirked and in one quick movement, he drove his sword into the heart of his double, pinning him to the tree. _"Malon"_ The name echoed through both their minds one more time.

It was over, and his creator would be so pleased.


	4. Lies and More Lies

The door opened. Ganondorf entered with several guards behind him. "Creator!" The shadow bowed low and respectfully.

His creator pushed past him and he stumbled into the water. "Finally!" He said, taking the double by his hand. "The Triforce of Courage! It's mine!" He glanced carelessly over at the shadow. "I have no more use for him." He waved his hand at the moblins. "Kill him."

"Creator!" The shadow tried backing away when one of the guards grabbed him and restrained his arms. "Creator, no! What have I done? What have I done?"

His creator left the room without even a glance back as the two other moblins started to encroach upon the shadow. His mind raced. In a quick "fight of flight" burst of energy he ripped himself out of the grip of the moblin holding him. He drew his sword and stabbed the first moblin in the face before he could do anything to retaliate. The other two were more quick to react and the shadow found himself fighting for his life again.

* * *

Things had been looking up since Link had left. Malon and Ingo had worked together to try and earn enough to keep the ranch. They might be able to offer a small payment towards Ingo's debts by the end of the week. They had never worked harder together in their lives. They called it early one day as they could see storm clouds rolling across the sky from the lake. She climbed into her loft that night sore and tired. She curled up in her bed and listened to the sound of the horses shuffling around restlessly. She hoped the storm wouldn't be too loud and make them panic.

* * *

He stumbled towards the shore of the lake, covered in blood and soaking wet. His hair dripped into his face and he had to wipe it from his eyes in order to see. A heavy rain had broken out over the lake and storm clouds were growing dark and heavy above.

A red horse was dancing nervously around the lake shore, someone had left her sitting there. He looked around for the owner before grabbing her reigns. The horse reared back and almost struck him but he stepped back. He tightened his grip on the reigns and tried to stroke her face and calm her. For whatever reason the song he had heard from his double's memories came to mind and he began to hum it. The horse became somewhat calmer and he was able to mount her. He didn't know where to go but he headed towards the field, with the need to hide.

He let the horse carry him across the field. She stopped outside a farm and he led her inside. He thought first to knock on the door but then thought against it. He could just lead the horse into the barn and hide there.

* * *

She woke up as the barn door flew open. She couldn't see very well in the dark but she curled up a little tighter when she saw a dark figure lead a horse into the barn. He closed the door quietly and led the horse to an empty stall. "Good girl." He whispered and he stroked her nose. The voice sounded familiar, but also deeper, and gravelly. He turned and went to leave her and Malon couldn't stop herself. "She's all wet." She said. "You can't just leave her like that, she'll get sick." She climbed down the ladder and in the dark she could faintly make out the features of the intruder. "Link?" She tried to get a better look and he ducked backwards into a shadow.

"Yes." he answered "But don't look at me."

"What happened to you?" She asked and tried to step closer. "You sound different."

"I am different." He said ominously. "Malon?" He tested.

"I'll need to light a lantern to get Epona ready for bed. Whatever the matter is I promise it can't be that bad." She began lighting the lantern before he could effectively protest, but when she got a look at the figure before her she almost dropped it onto the straw covered floor. Once she'd recovered she reached out to brush his wet hair away from his face. His skin was dark grey and his hair was black. His arms were covered in scars and his black tunic was ripped in several places. He had been bleeding, and she was surprised Epona had even let her on him while he carried the scent of it so heavily. She tried to get a good look at his face but he was keeping his head down.

"I told you not to look." He said grimly and swatted her hand away.

"What happened?" She asked, trying to hide the faltering of her voice. "You're bleeding."

"I'll be fine, if you could take care of the horse." He shrank back further into the corner.

She was grateful to turn away and removed the saddle from Epona's back before she started brushing her down. She hummed her mother's song to the horse while she groomed. A shadow grew from behind her. She turned around and recoiled reflexively. It was just him, but something about his demeanor frightened her. "That song," He said quietly, "It's nice." He sat down in the corner of the stall and rested his forehead on his knees. "Please keep singing." Malon relaxed and realized she had been holding her breath when she exhaled. She returned to brushing out Epona and kept glancing at him, though less and less frequently, to see if he would move. When she headed over to the other side of the horse, she lost sight of him. She began to hear a choked, throaty sound and peered around the horse to see him in the same position, but his shoulders were shaking heavily. He was crying.


	5. Goodbye

He became very tense every time he felt her fingertips touch him softly. He wasn't used to this kind of gentle touch. She had insisted on bandaging him before she would go back to sleep. He refused to let her take off his shirt so she could only bandage his arms. She didn't ask any questions and he appreciated that. The storm outside was only getting worse. "There." She said, finishing. She looked at him sadly. He knew she had a lot of questions for him, but he couldn't let her know he was taking advantage of her. He had no where else to go right now and he didn't want to tell her the truth.

She turned away from him and he sighed. She started climbing up the ladder and he watched her go. She peered back down at him. "Aren't you coming?" She asked.

"I'll sleep down here." He answered darkly.

She frowned down at him. "There isn't a bed down there." She protested. "You're too beat up to sleep on a floor, it'll only hurt more."

"I don't feel pain." He slipped that piece of information out before he had thought about it.

She disappeared back over the edge of the loft and he could hear her shuffling around. "Watch out!" She called down and a straw mattress fell out of the loft. and landed with a soft *thunk* on the barn floor. A blanket followed. Her head popped back over the edge. "You're sleeping on a bed." She commanded.

"I wont." He said stubbornly. "It's your bed."

She disappeared again and he heard more shuffling up in the loft. After a while everything got quiet. "Malon?" He climbed up the ladder and peered over the edge. She had cleared out the bare hay from part of the loft and was already laying down. She laid on her side and rested her head on her hands. "Malon." He said again, impatiently. He crawled over towards her, certain she was pretending. She let out a soft snore and he reached out to touch her. He paused as his hand hovered over her shoulder. She was breathing steadily and he realized she really was asleep. She must have been exhausted when he'd entered uninvited an hour earlier.

He was afraid to touch her and wake her, or afraid to touch her at all. He wasn't sure which. He backed away and climbed back down the ladder. He looked grudgingly at her mattress and laid a few hay bales out to sleep on. No one would have a mattress tonight.

* * *

Malon woke to a loud crack of thunder. The sun was still hidden behind dark storm clouds, but she could tell it was morning. She peered down over the loft to see her mattress laying on the floor unmade and empty. Link was sleeping on hay bales he had lined out. She stood over him for a moment. She wanted to know what had happened so badly, but she remembered how he had cried last night and knew she'd wait until he told her himself, if he ever did.

She threw her blanket over him and began feeding the horses. He must have been exhausted because he barely stirred while she worked. She finished and pushed her mattress up the ladder and back into place.

She threw her cloak on and stepped outside. The wind whipped her skirts around and the rain soaked through her in no time. Uncle Ingo was already in the chicken coop. He locked it up and stepped out. "Looks like the animals are staying in today." He yelled over the rushing sound of the wind. They headed into the main house together and Ingo started lighting a fire. Malon began made breakfast and hid a few slices of bread in her apron pocket. The storm looked no closer to calming by mid morning and Malon excused herself back to the barn after she and Ingo had cleared away breakfast.

* * *

He woke up early and laid there in the dark, watching her work while pretending to be asleep. At first he thought he'd been caught when she stood over him for a while but then she threw a blanket over him and that took him by surprise. He watched her feed the horses and push her bed back up to the hayloft. Her couldn't help but smirk a little as he watched her struggle for a moment with it.

She slipped out after throwing on her cloak and he sat up. While she was gone he considered his next actions. He had to leave, of course, his creator might be searching for him even now and he was placing her in danger by being close to her. He brushed his fingers across the bandages she had wrapped around his cuts and closed his eyes. No one had ever handled him quite so carefully and a tiny guilty feeling reminded him that the touches weren't meant for him, but the man she had called "Link". The man he had killed only the day before. The man whose place he had stolen.

He recalled the memories he had taken from his double. The soft grass, warmth, sunlight, her soft singing off in the distance. He was envious of his double for those memories. He knew he never could have them. If she knew the truth about him... he couldn't let that happen. While the rain was still pouring down he slipped silently out the door.

He left the ranch. And once he was out in the field he froze. A small group of people were riding straight towards him. It looked like they hadn't noticed him yet and he climbed a tree to hide. When the group rode under him he almost slid from his perch. "Creator!" He whispered.


	6. We Need to Get Out of Here

He fell out of his hiding spot after his creator left his sight. Scrambling up he was undecided about where to go. He needed to get as far away as he could, but _she_ was still in there. Why did that matter so much to him? He hadn't planned on ever seeing her again just moments before, but now she could be in danger. He drew his sword and gritted his teeth. He wanted to run after them but his feet wouldn't move! Why wouldn't they move? He was afraid. For the first time in his life he felt honest, paralyzing fear.

* * *

Malon stepped out of the house just as the King was riding into the ranch. Quickly she stepped back through the door. "Uncle Ingo!" The panic in her voice was enough to make her uncle snap to attention and a loud, banging knock was heard at the door.

"Open it girl!" Her Uncle snapped. His face was white and beads of sweat were pooling on his brow. He shakily wiped them away.

Malon did as she was told. "Y-your Majesty." Malon faltered and bowed graciously.

"What brings you to our humble ranch in this vile storm?" Ingo bowed as well and took over speaking.

"I'm looking for a criminal." He answered and he held up a drawing, Malon contained her reaction. Her childhood friend and her savior, Link, was looking back at her from the poster, "Normally I wouldn't handle such nasty business myself, but this one is very personal to me."

Malon shrank back quietly towards the back door. Ingo continued talking to the King and no one seemed to notice her any more. She needed to get to Link and warn him to hide. She slipped out quickly and was almost instantly soaked by the downpour. Through the rain she could faintly make out moving figures patrolling the yard. Moblins. She had never seen one of these monsters up close before. She did know they had poor eyesight, an enhanced sense of smell, and a tendency to charge perceived threats. She carefully tried to sneak her way towards the barn, hoping the rain would make an excellent cover for her against the guards.

She rounded the corner of the house. The barn door was only meters away. She came face to back with one of the monsters and gasped. She ducked quickly back around the corner as the moblin turned around. She heard it grunt, and then sniff the air. It took a step forward and she closed her eyes. Her pulse was racing and she could hear the blood rushing in her ears above the sound of the pouring rain. It took another heavy step forward.

* * *

He brought himself to enter the ranch after his creator had walked into the house. He stayed close to the rocky walls, using his shadowy appearance against the moblins poor eyesight. He had no plans but being able to know what was happening was a good start. There were several moblin guards patrolling the ranch and he hoped Malon was back in the barn by now. He decided he needed to reach the barn and started inching his way across the stone wall.

A rather large moblin was standing guard by the door to the house, just a few meters away from the barn door. He crouched for a while along the barn wall, debating how close he could get to the monster before being noticed when he saw Malon come around the house.

His body tightened up as the guard turned around and began moving towards her. There was no more time for considering. There was only time to move. He drew his sword and charged ahead. The sound of his footsteps had gotten the guard's attention and it had time to turn towards him before he drove his sword into it's chest. It fell back against the wall of the house with a loud *thud*.

"Link you-"

"Shhh!" He hissed and grabbed her hand. He pulled her into the barn quickly. "We need to get out of here." He whispered. There was a commotion starting outside. He could hear his creator shouting something. "Now!" He ordered.

"This way." She climbed the ladder to her loft quickly and he followed. They picked their way across the roof together and over towards the stone wall. Once over the edge, they started to try shambling down the climbing vines on the other side. Malon slipped and tightened her grip. Her sudden fall caused part of the vines to come loose and they fell to the ground. They hurried to untangle themselves from the thorny mass. They could hear more shouting coming from the other side of the walls.

* * *

Malon looked back at the ranch as lightning broke across the sky above. She realized it might be the last time she said goodbye to her home.


	7. Rain is Still Falling

"We need to go back, my uncle!" Malon pulled on his hand.

"We can't go back there now!" He argued pulling her back. He could hardly hear her crying over the heavy rain, but he could still hear it. He couldn't understand why she was so upset. He didn't understand why he felt guilty for having her with him. He had just saved her life, shouldn't she be happy?

They ran across the bridge and towards the mountain he could see in the distance. A masked man dropped in front of them. "I've been looking for you." He growled angrily at the shadow. "Get away from that girl." He ordered.

"Link, who is this?"

"Don't call him that name!" The man snapped. He looked at the shadow. "You, how dare you have that name?" This man seemed genuinely angry, the shadow didn't even know who he was or why he was upset at him.

The shadow drew his sword. "I think, you have me confused with someone else." He gritted his teeth. In the distance they could hear riders coming closer. "Move." He ordered.

"Why do you have that girl? Why is she using that na-"

"Move!" He was panicking, the sound of the riders was getting closer.

"They're getting closer!" Malon looked at the stranger pleadingly.

He stood a little straighter. "Get yourself away from him girl. And you!" He pointed to the shadow, "I'll be coming back for you. Consider yourself lucky I have my own reasons for avoiding Ganondorf."

* * *

"Who was that?" She asked him.

"I don't know."

"He seemed angry at you, you haven't met him before?"

"He was wearing a mask, I don't know."

"What did you do to him?"

"Malon! I don't know!"

She flinched away from the outburst. and she heard him sigh. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. "I'm just as lost about this as you are." They had run into the town and were hiding behind an abandoned looking house.

"Where do we go from here?" She wrapped her arms around herself and began shivering. The rain had soaked her through and she just wanted to be somewhere dry. She looked around the town. "There." She said pointing up the hill. Impa's house was a landmark of Kakariko, it was open to everyone.

There were lights trickling from the shuttered windows. "Malon, I don't know if that's a good idea." He shuffled around nervously. "There's other people in there."

She took his hand. "I'll be with you." She pulled him up towards the house but he was certainly dragging his feet.

* * *

They approached the house and Malon knocked furiously on the door. A young woman answered and the shadow ducked behind the door frame. The women gasped and suddenly grabbed Malon by the hand. She pulled back and the shadow he winced again. He was starting to notice that she flinched too often and it made him feel things he didn't want to.

"Oh my dear, what are you doing out here on a night like this?" The woman almost sounded motherly and she reached a little more slowly for Malon's hand to pull her inside. She glanced at the shadow and the woman peered around the door frame. She recoiled. "Oh I-I didn't realize you had a friend." Her lips split into a fake smile while she took an awkward second to regain her composure. "Come in." She beckoned, "You must be freezing. Otto! Otto!" She yelled up the stairs and a man popped his head over the sleeping loft. "Get some blankets for these two!"

"I'm asleep woman!" He yelled back rudely. He looked at the wet visitors coming in. The shadow watched as Otto's eyes darted between him and Malon. He looked like he had a question and then turned away. "Oh well." He said.

"We have to get you out of those wet clothes or you'll catch you death of cold." The woman went on and she started tugging off Malon's blouse.

"No, wait!" Malon protested but the shirt came off. She covered herself as best as she could with her arms but the shadow looked away. The woman quickly undressed the rest of Malon, to her protests and a blanket was thrown over her before she was invited to sit by the fire. "Thank you." She said weakly as she drew her knees in on the floor and pulled the blanket closer around herself.

"Now for you." The woman approached him a little more carefully.

"I'm fine thanks, my clothes will dry." He moved closer to the fire to try and satisfy her.

"There's no reason to be shy, those clothes will get dry faster if they hang up." She reached for him.

He swatted her hand away. "I said I'm fine, thank you."

The woman measured him up with a look and then took a step back. "That's fine then. I'll leave you two be."

He sat down next to Malon on the floor and she leaned against his shoulder. He didn't move to comfort her, but he didn't push her away either. "What's going to happen to us?" She asked him quietly. He didn't answer. He didn't know.


	8. Dawn Tidings

The storm had cleared up the next morning but the sky was still heavily clouded. Malon woke up on the bed that had been provided to them. She looked down on the floor to see Link curled up there. She sighed and stretched. She crept downstairs trying not to wake Otto and Anju. She found a lot of eggs downstairs and decided to start making breakfast. She tied her hair back and started making pancake batter. Anju was the second person awake. "Good Morning." She greeted Malon cheerfully. Malon gave back a halfhearted smile. "Did you sleep well?" Malon nodded. "Do you want any help?"

"Oh no! This is my thank you for taking us in." Malon said.

Anju sat at the table and rested her chin on her hands. "That friend of yours," She started. Malon gave her a look that made her pause. "He's alright, right?"

Malon put down the bowl she'd been stirring and sighed. "I don't know." She said, "We grew up together and he disappeared for seven years. I saw him again about a week ago finally and he was just like I remembered. Then he came back like this and... I just don't know what to make of it. I mean, it's been seven years. Maybe I don't know him as well as I think I did."

Anju took her hand from across the table and the two locked eyes. "I'm sure he'll come around." She said, "Even if he's a different person, you should show him you're still you. He's probably going through a lot if something changed him like that. He just needs someone to care."

Malon went back to preparing breakfast. "Maybe you're right." She mumbled, but she didn't believe it yet.

* * *

He had woken up to watch Malon creep downstairs but he stayed where he was on the floor. He heard her getting to work downstairs on making breakfast and he stretched out on the floor. He had a little time to think. Otto snored loudly and rolled over in his bed. He thought about the night before. His creator had been looking for him, and he had taken Malon from her home and thrown her into this. He tried to think of if he'd ever met the mask man that had confronted them before last night. No, this person must have known his double.

The woman, Anju, was awake now and the shadow closed his eyes and tried to keep his breathing even. He listened to her trying to quietly pad across the floor of the sleeping loft. She was heading over towards him. She could hear her leaning over him and her soft fingertip touched his face. His muscles twitched involuntarily at the touch and he heard her straighten up and head for the stairs.

He listened to the conversation the two women shared and sat up, resting his arms on his knees. The man she thought he was didn't exist anymore, he had made sure of that himself. Again already he was feeling emotions he couldn't fully understand and just wanted to stop feeling.

She had been so kind to him since he'd met her. She touched him only gently, spoke to him as though she admired and trusted him, she had never chastised him for displaying emotions. He closed his eyes and could still picture his double's memory in his mind, it was so real, but it wasn't his. Nothing she gave him was truly his. Her touches, her kind words, her understanding, they belonged to him.

He wanted those things to be meant for him. He didn't understand why it was so important to him that they weren't. He decided to try. He would give her kind words and maybe she would mean some of them back, but for him this time.

He could smell the sweet, buttery smell and hear the sizzling of the pancakes she was frying. He decided it was time to get up and head downstairs.

* * *

She heard him come downstairs and turned around. She smiled at him and he stopped on the last step. "Good morning." She said giving him her very best a cheerful smile. He hadn't moved and was still looking at her in a way that made her shift her weight uncomfortably. She turned back to her pancakes and pretended not to notice.

"Have a seat." Anju offered him kindly.

She heard him finally leave the step and pull a chair out to sit in. "Your hair's up." He said, pointing out the obvious. She turned to face him again and smiled. She tucked a stray strand behind her ear. "I like it is all." He finished.

He was trying, she could tell he was trying very hard to compliment her and act like everything was normal. She slid a couple pancakes onto his plate and dropped some berries beside them before setting it in front of him. She served up a plate for Anju as well.

Otto stumbled tiredly down the stairs shortly after. "Did you use our eggs for this?" He asked.

Malon was taken aback, "We-well, I..." She said awkwardly.

"Oh well." Otto shrugged and Malon relaxed.

"You'll get used to Otto." Anju said, she kicked his leg under the table and he choked on his first bite. "He's all talk." She smiled too cheerfully still and the atmosphere at the table relaxed.

Later while Anju made Otto and Link clear away breakfast, she started teaching Malon how to knit. The wool kept slipping off her needles. "No no, hold it like this." Anju directed. Soon enough, Malon got the hang of it and she spent quite a bit of time working on a simple bright red scarf. Anju watched over her progress. She already knew she would be making this scarf for Link, she wanted to give him a gift to let him know she still cared and that they would get through this together.


	9. Come Now Together

He was looking up at a dead, gnarled tree. The black branches spread out to create a dark web contrasting with a pale grey sky. He sat up from where he had been laying in the damp sand. All around him there was nothing but stagnant, ankle deep water. He was back in the room under the lake. This time, there were no doors.

He looked around at the endless, bleak surroundings and stepped into the water. He took a few more steps and looked down. His double was looking back at him from his reflection. He dove towards the surface, knocking the shadow down. The sky turned a deep red as his double stood over him. "Give it back!" He yelled. "You're ruining everything!" He slashed at the shadow violently with his sword but he was able to dive back in time. He reached for his sword, his shield, anything, but he was defenseless. He tried crawling backwards away as his double raised his sword.

The shadow held out his hands as a last defense and as the sword came down, the bearer turned from his double into Malon. Her fiery hair whipped around her as she brought the sword down on his head.

He jumped awake with a gasp. It was still dark and from the bed above him he could hear Malon's soft breathing. Across the room, Otto was snoring. He rubbed his eyes with his fingertips and quietly groaned. These nightmares had been bothering him for a few weeks. Malon had started working with Anju taking care of the cuckoo business. Why a woman who was allergic to the birds would base her entire business around them was beyond him, but as Otto would say, "Oh well".

He stood up and headed downstairs quietly. He looked up towards the sleeping loft, trying to make sure he hadn't woken anyone. He slipped outside into the cold night. It was almost winter now and it seemed like their weeks of lying low had paid off. He hadn't heard or seen any sign of his creator in the area. He knew he should still leave, but he was afraid to be alone. He wrapped his arms and shivered as a cold wind blew across the frosty landscape.

* * *

She heard him close the door and sat up. Sure enough he wasn't on the floor anymore. She slipped her feet into her boots and bundled up her spare blanket. He was standing outside shivering and looking across the frost-glazed rooftops of the town. He didn't turn around when he heard the *crunch crunch* of her boots on the frozen grass. She threw her blanket around his shoulders. He drew it around him and finally looked at her. "Mind if I join you?" She asked and then sat down by his feet, uninvited. He sat down then too.

"I don't" he said and closed his eyes while he leaned his head back.

"You never sleep through a whole night anymore." She observed.

"It's becoming a habit." It wasn't an answer. She took part of the blanket off of him and wrapped it around her own shoulders.

"You never touch me." She said. "You took my hand and pulled me away from the ranch that night, but you never really touch me."

"Where is this coming from?" He looked really confused at her. "Do-do you want me to? Malon, look at me. I'm-"

She stood up sharply and turned away from him. "You really think I care?" She was outraged, "After all this time, you think that what? I'm afraid of you? That I'm disgusted by you? How do you want me to prove myself?" Her voice broke and cold tears spilled out of her eyes. "Where were you? All those seven years? Do you know how long I waited at that ranch for someone to just show me they care?"

He had stood up as well but hadn't taken a step closer to her. "I do care Malon, but I'm no-"

"In those seven years not one person touched me gently! I was hit, I was stepped on, pushed around, beaten, if I made the wrong kind of face I was slapped for having unruly thoughts." She wasn't trying to hold her tears back now.

* * *

His own memories of his time with his creator came flooding back to him. He had learned to demand harsher beating, learned not to give any signs when he was hurt. He had thought one day it would be worth it and he'd take his rightful place alongside his creator. The hardest blow had been the one he hadn't expected. "Kill him" his creator had said, without even a look in his direction.

In contrast he remembered that night in the barn. Her touches as she bandaged him up. He had come to need the touch of her steady, careful hands. It had never occurred to him she had gone through anything similar and while she had spent so much time trying to heal his broken spirit, he hadn't dared try to give her the same.

She still wouldn't face him even though she was crying loudly now. He took a step towards her, his hands were shaking as he held them out towards her. He hesitated for a moment. He had tried so long not to do just what he was about to. She didn't want him to touch her, she wanted Link. It wasn't right, but here she was in absolute need of it. He stiffly placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned and looked up at him. "Thank you." She was smiling but there were still tears pooling in her eyes. He reached a hand carefully up to her face and brushed one of them away.

To his surprise she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled herself closer to him, burying her face in his chest. He decided it might be a good idea to wrap his arms around her shoulders and hold her there for a moment. She was soft and warm and her shape fit so comfortably into his that he felt like he could stand there forever just taking in this moment. He only moved from that position to wrap the blanket around her shoulders.

Her fingers began to softly stroke his back and he tilted his face towards the pale moon in elation. These touches were for him.


	10. Reunion and Rage

He woke the next morning in a bed, nestled inside of the curl of his body was Malon. She was still fast sleep with his arm tucked around her body and he didn't want to move for fear of waking her. He heard someone else behind him sit up.

"Oh!" It was Anju.

"Shhh." He whispered, "She's still asleep."

He could hear Anju slip out of bed and walk towards the stairs. "I'm so glad." She said a little more quietly before heading down to get started making breakfast.

She stirred and rolled to face him. Her wild red hair had fallen in her face and around her shoulders. Somehow it made her very beautiful to him. She smiled up at him before detaching herself from his grip. "G'morning." She mumbled sleepily and stretched.

"Morning." He answered and sat up himself.

"Last night." She said, "I said some things to accuse you of not caring."

"It's not important." He shook his head. "It got us here this morning."

She slipped past him out of bed. "I'd better help Anju get breakfast started." She looked back at the top of the stairs and smiled at him.

Otto sat up after she was gone and looked over at him. "Did you two...?" The shadow didn't answer. Otto shrugged, "Oh well." He said.

* * *

Malon couldn't stop smiling while she helped Anju with breakfast. Anju, for her part, kept glancing over at Malon and smiling for herself. "What did I tell you?" She boasted. "I said he'd come around." Malon just nodded and smiled a little more. She was kind, but sometimes a little overbearing. "And good timing too. Do you have it ready for Candle Night?"

All of Kakariko was ready for Candle Night. Lanterns had been strung across rooftops, candles sat in every window and a warm, hazy glow covered the town. It had been an unusually dark winter. Even in the daytime thick clouds blocked out the sun. The oppressive blanket of darkness wasn't enough to dampen the spirit of the holidays however and Malon had been excited for weeks. She and Ingo hadn't celebrated Candle Night in seven years. "It's ready." She said.

They left the men to clear up and went out to gather eggs as usual. Malon looked down the street at all the cheerful decorations when someone caught her eye. She dropped her basket in shock, breaking most of the eggs inside. "Hey!" Anju exclaimed but Malon barely heard her.

She started running as fast as she could to catch up with the figure. The cold air rushed into her lungs, making her breathing dry and raspy but she didn't care. Upon hearing footsteps approaching him the figure turned around. She could see surprise spread across his face and tears slipped out of her eyes as it got even harder to breathe. "Malon?" He asked and she collided with him, knocking him off balance. She wrapped her arms tightly around his chest and held him there. He placed a big hand on her head and stroked her hair.

"Dad." Tears spilled onto his dirty shirt.

* * *

"It's a shame we didn't know you two were related sooner." Anju set a tea tray down on the table. "I could have reunited you both a lot faster."

"Oh well." Otto added. "You're here now."

The shadow had remained quiet and tucked under the stairs since they had come in. He didn't want to startle Malon's father. She looked so happy sitting beside him.

"My daughter is a strong young lady, I'm sure she would have been fine without me. But me, I've been lost without her." It showed, he wore his seven years in his unkempt appearance. Dark rings had formed under the large man's eyes like bruises. His greasy ponytail was overdue for a wash, his clothes as well. Speaking of his clothes they hung off his frame as though he had once been a much larger man. It was hard to believe that she and this slob were related, let alone father and daughter.

He couldn't understand why she was so happy. This was the man who had abandoned her and hid away in safety for seven years while she had taken on his burden, yet she clung to him so gleefully. The shadow barely stifled a snort of contempt. "What have you been doing all these years?" Malon asked.

"Well, after I left the ranch I found refuge with the carpenter foreman and his wife." Talon looked down into his tea, "It destroyed me to have to leave you, Malon. I needed someone to be there, to take care of our ranch, but I always wanted you with me. By the way, why did you leave the ranch, Malon?"

The shadow couldn't take it anymore. He slammed his fist against the wall and stood up. The man had lived in relative comfort for seven years. He had stayed in refuge for seven years. He left his daughter behind to be abused for seven years. What he was worried about now was the place she had been tormented in. "It wasn't safe there." He said through gritted teeth.

"Link you don't have to-" Malon started.

"Link my boy! Why were you hiding under there all this time? It's good to see you again too lad." Talon said nervously.

The shadow emerged into the better lighting and took satisfaction in watching Talon drop his teacup. "What happened to you lad?" He asked, visibly startled.

"That's not important right now! Do you know what she's been through? While you were off in hiding?"

"I had to lea-"

"You should have taken her with you!"

"Someone had to stay with the ranch." Talon said defensively. He stood up. "Malon, you weren't in danger were you?" Malon was looking down at her hands in her lap, her hair curtaining her face. She didn't answer him. "Malon?" He said weakly.

"For all you know, you could have left her to die. She was forced to do all the work alone, beaten, abused. You left her to that and pinned her there with responsibility. While she was a child." The shadow could feel his anger rising. Talon was backing away towards the door. He drew his attention away from the man to see Otto standing protectively over a cowering Anju in the corner. Malon was the only one who hadn't moved. She was just staring down at her clenched fists in her lap. He relaxed his stance. They were afraid of him. Seeing his opportunity, Talon fled out the door. It slammed shut behind him.

Malon stood up. "Malon." he said quietly.

She raised her face to him and he could see hot anger and tears on her face. "You've ruined everything!" She yelled and ran outside after Talon.

He slumped down into a seat, dumbfounded.

"Oh well." Otto said, breaking the silence.


	11. Candle Night

"Dad!" Malon yelled, catching up with Talon, "Dad, I'm sorry! He shouldn't have said that."

"No, Malon, he needed to say it. I left you behind, and I had no right to expect you to forgive me so easily." He looked pitiful, like a chastised child who had been caught in the middle of a guilty action. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!" He covered his face with his large hand and she could see his shoulders shake as he quietly sobbed.

She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "No one forgiven truly deserves forgiveness, that's why the action is so great."

Talon straightened up and smiled at her. "You sound just like your mother." He told her. She smiled and wiped the tears away from her eyes. They embraced each other again. "Thank you." He whispered to her.

* * *

Anju and Otto had excused themselves awkwardly and the shadow sat alone. He ran the scenario through his mind again to see where he messed up. Somewhere between wanting to stand up for Malon and seeing the fear on everyone's face, he had gone too far. He looked down at his hands. They were different from everyone else. He was different from everyone else. "What am I?" He asked himself quietly. Nothing answered him.

The door burst open and Malon came back in. She gave him a stern frown and Talon stepped in the doorway as well. The two men locked eyes for what felt like an hour. "I'm sorry," They both started at once. Talon let the shadow go first. "I shouldn't have interrupted your reunion." He finished.

"Thanks for lookin' out for my daughter when I couldn't lad." He said somberly, looking down. When he looked back up there was a playful smile spreading across his face. "You would have my blessing to marry her."

The shadow and Malon both stiffened and he could see a blush on her face. Talon let out a deep belly laugh and clapped his daughter on the back. "I'm just jokin' with the both o' ya. You shoulda seen your faces." The shadow could see Malon relax a little and he did likewise.

"Don't surprise me like that, dad!" Malon scolded.

* * *

Candle Night was here and the whole town was lit up. Anju and Malon had set up decorations inside Impa's house and Talon joined them for dinner that evening. Anju had brought small gifts for everyone and they all sat around the fire after their meal. They decided to bundle up and go out on the street.

Vendors were selling hot, spiced cider and just the smell of the drink was enough to warm her insides. She and Link enjoyed a mug of the stuff together. Talon, Anju and Otto had gone off together somewhere but Link stayed farther away from crowded areas. Malon couldn't help but notice a few suspicious glances her was getting and she watched him pull his hood further over his face. She took his hand and smiled warmly. "Hey, let's go somewhere I've been wanting to see for a while. Tonight's perfect for it."

The ladder was cold against her fingers and her foot slipped once or twice but the tower on the hill in Kakariko was the tallest point in the town. Link reached the top and helped her up. The air was colder up here and the wind was a little harsher. But the view was perfect. The whole town glittered below them and they could only faintly hear the singing from the square below. Malon looked up at Link to see him leaning into the view, taking it all in. She stepped behind him and pulled out the red scarf she'd made. She abruptly threw it over his shoulders. He turned around, surprised. "Happy Candle Night." She smiled. A cool wind blew a little harder and she wrapped his arms around her and to her surprise, he kissed her.

His kisses had an urgency behind them and despite them both being chilled in the night wind there was a warmth that spread inside Malon. She pulled away to breathe and looked at him. "They'll be out celebrating for most of the night." She informed him. They climbed down the ladder a little less cautiously and he took her hand. They ran through the alleyways, determined to hide if they saw Talon, Anju or Otto. They entered the dark house and ran upstairs.

* * *

He rolled over and she laid her head on his bare chest. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and stroked her hair. "Thank you." She whispered. He hoped he hadn't just made his greatest mistake. He had no idea how to tell her the truth now.


	12. New Developments

Everything had fallen into place for the shadow, almost too easily. It appeared his creator was no longer looking for him, he had almost forgotten the masked man who would expose him, he was surrounded by people who cared about him, and Malon had believed wholeheartedly the lie he was living. He was troubled when he pondered these things, especially the last detail. He wanted to think back to Candle Night and be happy with the outcome but he wasn't okay with lying to everyone. It had been several weeks since Candle Night and he hadn't initiated anything again. Living with Anju and Otto and having Talon as a regular visitor made privacy a good excuse but Malon had kept trying to find secret places or quiet times for them to spend together. He felt guilty to see her disappointment but he would have felt guiltier to do anything. He had to tell her, and hope she could forgive him.

She slipped quietly upstairs and found him sitting on the edge of their bed. She sat next to him and he reflexively put an arm around her. "I have something to tell you." She started quietly. He stiffened, she sounded nervous and he was anticipating the worst. "I needed you to know first, and I don't know how to tell dad at all." She paused and wrung her hands in her lap, trying to get the words out. "I think... I mean, I'm pretty sure, but not completely and all..." She was stalling. "I think I'm pregnant." The shadow stood up to face her.

He might as well have been struck over the head with a heavy object. How could this happen? They had only been together once and he was barely more than a ghost. He hadn't thought this outcome would be possible because he barely thought himself human. what would happen to Malon? Would this thing inside Malon hurt her? Would it be some kind of monster? She was waiting for a response. "Link..." She said and for the first time, he'd truly hated her calling him that name. "I said-"

"I heard." He answered. "Aren't you afraid?" He asked. She shook her head. She needed his support right now so he took her hands. "Then this is wonderful news." He couldn't let her be scared with him.

* * *

Anju had suggested they go to a potions witch across town. When she opened the door on them she barely glanced at them both before inviting them into her house. "Sit," She ordered and Malon sat on the overstuffed couch. Link leaned against the corner and the woman went behind the counter, digging through her supplies. The shop was hot, dimly lit, cluttered with old furniture and smelled like boiled cabbage and an underlying hint of mildew. "You are with child, yes, girl?"

"How did you-" Malon was interrupted.

"I know many things." She answered.

"Then what can you tell us about this child?" Link asked.

The witch looked him up and down. "You're the father I presume?" She asked turning away. She pressed her hand against Malon's flat belly. her fingers were cold and dry but her touch was soft. She closed her eyes and hummed something. "A girl," She said.

"But what will it look like, will it be healthy? Will it be human? I mean, look at me." Link said.

"I did." said the witch scurrying back behind her counter. She seemed very disinterested in his self-pity. "I know not what she will look like but there doesn't appear to be any danger to mother or baby. Things are still early, perhaps two and a half months?" Candle Night fell almost exactly into that time frame, Malon wondered how she could know that. "I know many things." She answered as if she read Malon's mind.

She handed Link a jar of black potion. "One spoonful at night, one in the morning, keep mother away from stress as much as possible and see me once you run out." She ordered. Malon reached for her purse but the woman held out her wrinkled hand to stop her. "You'll pay on delivery." She told them, "I only accept payment for successful deliveries," she eyed Link while she said it, "And I always get paid." She abruptly excused them from her home and they both stood outside for a moment, dazed by the quick encounter.

The potion they were given was a thick, black, oily substance that tasted strongly of fish and cloves. Link had her spoonful ready at every morning and evening meal where she would have skipped the awful stuff entirely. Link had taken up working with Anju and the cuckoos. He had to take care to keep himself covered from the sun but he was convinced the air in the coop would be bad for her. "I'm not taking any chances." He told her.

She appreciated how seriously he was taking things but it left her with very little to do and she was bored.

She was starting to show about three weeks later. When she touched the slight bump, she felt a little bit of apprehension. It scared her to think there was a tiny person growing inside her. When they laid down together at night, Link couldn't seem to help but touch it. She could tell he was nervous by the way he insisted on taking care of her, but she could also see his excitement in little moments like these.

"I never thought this could happen for me." He said one night while he held her. "I never imagined that I would have a family."


	13. Nothing is so Easy

Nothing could last forever. The shadow smelled the smoke before he heard the roaring flames. He roused Malon, Anju and Otto and they ran from the house. Kakariko was burning. Malon clung to his side as they tried to pick their way towards a safer part of town. The roaring inferno around them deafened the shadow and left his eyes watering. Others would be at the well trying to put out the flames, so they went to try and help. When they reached the well the masked man was there, staring down into the depths. "Get back!" He yelled.

Something burst from the well and the shadow threw Malon behind him. The masked man was thrown across the square where he was knocked out. "Run, Malon!" He yelled and stood his ground against the invisible being. People around the square scattered fearfully. The thing was invisible, but it made a shadow. He ran at the thing, not sure what he was planning to do but he found himself being picked up. "Link!" He barely heard Malon yell through the blood rushing in his ears. This thing had a strong grip as it threw him around. It threw him into the side of a brick building where he cracked his head. His vision blurred and he couldn't hear anything but a sharp whistling in his ears. He stumbled up, the shadow of the thing had moved away and was headed towards other people. "Hey!" The shadow yelled, he thought maybe he had gotten the things attention and he readied his stance. He heard the air rushing towards him as the massive thing slammed into him, driving him back against the building. Part of it crumbled and the bricks fell over the massive body of the invisible thing. It thankfully shielded him from most of the damage.

* * *

"Link!" Malon screamed, watching him be driven back into the building. It crumbled like paper over him. She had to go and help him, but she needed to get out of there. She touched her pregnant belly, certain she felt the baby kicking around fitfully. She couldn't go back, for their child. The masked man was laying in front of her. He was slowly getting up. "You!" She ran over to his side. "What is that thing?" She asked him.

"Get back!" He ordered again standing up. "If you want to help start getting people out of here. That thing is going to ruin everything." He ran towards the crumbled building and Malon watched him for a moment when a drop of rain splashed on her nose.

She sprung into action, yelling as loud as she could, she tried directing people away from the center of town. She got the attention of a few and others followed them until they were funneling out of the square. Suddenly, the building Link had been thrown into rumbled. The roof creaked and then blew open, showering the crowd with debris. There was a loud rush of screams from the crowd as people were crushed. "Link!" Malon yelled and started running towards the wreck of a building. The clouds broke open and the rain began washing down in deafening sheets. She slipped across the wet grass and saw the masked man running away from the scene.

He was laying on the floor with wreckage scattered around him. He looked like a broken doll with his limbs splayed out in all directions. The rain mixed with his blood to form a thin red puddle around him. She ran to his side. "Don't be dead, don't be dead." She begged, trying to find any signs of breathing or a pulse. He gasped and rolled his head and she let out her breath, just realizing she had been holding it.

She threw his arm over her shoulder and tried to pick him up. She stumbled and dragged him out. She looked around at the damage from the explosion helplessly. There were people trying to move beams off of others, there were live people who were trying to drag themselves out from under the wreckage. The fires had gone out thanks to the rain, but a muddy havoc was left in its wake.

Talon found her there and helped her carry Link back to the house. The roof had sustained minimal damage but the house was mostly untouched. Anju and Otto were still gone and Malon hoped they were alright.

She laid Link on their bed and Talon started a fire to boil water on. He sat downstairs quietly while she cleaned his wounds. She peeled off his tunic and for the first time ever, she looked at his naked chest. She carefully washed away the blood from the fresh wounds to see the crosshatching of pale scars stretched across his skin. They were old and large and her fingers trembled when she looked at them. He had told her once that he didn't feel pain, but these scars had to have caused so much of it. She wondered, once again but with fresh perspective, what he had been through in the seven years he had disappeared. She bandaged him as quickly as she could, hoping there wasn't any internal damage killing him.

She was still watching him steadily breathe, barely taking her eyes off him for fear his condition would worsen. Talon came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Malon, you've been up all night, you need sleep." He said softly.

"Dad, I can't- I can't leave him until he wakes." She swallowed back a lump in her throat.

"I'll watch him, then." Talon offered. "Think of the baby, you need to take care of your body." He said, trying to be convincing. She rested her head on her father's belly and let go of her tears. He put an arm around her and rubbed her back.

"I want her to meet him." She sobbed, "He's taken such good care of all of us. He tried to save the town. I want her to meet her hero, dad."

Talon scooped her up in his large arms with a loud grunt and laid her down on Anju and Otto's bed. "She will." He promised, tucking his daughter in and stroking her forehead. "You need to rest." He said slightly more forcefully. Now that she was in bed it became harder to keep her eyes open and her wet eyelashes struck her face as she closed them tightly. Talon sat on the edge of the bed until he was sure she had fully fallen asleep.


	14. It All Comes Tumbling Down

The shadow woke the next morning in his bed, nearly naked and wrapped in bandages. He could hear Anju, Otto and Talon downstairs quietly conversing. He touched the blood-stained cloth wrapped around his chest and grimaced. He didn't like looking at the scars inflicted on him by his creator, and if he was bandaged, it meant Malon had seen as well. He threw on a fresh shirt. Malon was laying in Anju and Otto's bed, sleeping restlessly. He stepped over and pressed his cold hand against her warm cheek, her face relaxed as if her dreams had calmed. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and turned away.

Downstairs Anju, and Talon were sitting at the table, both with mugs of tea. Otto was standing near the lit stove with his arms crossed. He cast a large shadow over the dim room. Anju stood up when he stepped downstairs. She went to pour him some tea as well. "Glad to see you up and about, lad." Talon said quietly. We were all worried about you.

"What happened?" The shadow asked, rubbing his aching temples. He sat down at the table and Anju slid a mug of tea in front of him before sitting back down herself.

Talon relayed the story of him finding Malon carrying the shadow out of the collapsed building. "She was deathly worried about you lad, I'll admit, you were pretty messed up. What made you think you could take on whatever that was alone?"

The shadow rested his forehead on his hands, his headache was throbbing. "Someone needed to try." He answered weakly.

"Well do us all a favor and don't do anything else so reckless." Anju said, firmly. Motherly, that's what Malon called her, the shadow wouldn't know.

"Oh well." Otto added, in true Otto fashion, "The point is you're fine now. Most people around town are busy trying to rebuild. We're going out this morning to lend a hand." He said. "I suppose you wont be." The shadow didn't say anything, but flexed his grey fingers as a kind of answer. "Oh well." Otto added again.

* * *

Malon's eyes flitted open and she saw her bed on the other side of the room. It was perfectly empty and unmade. She sat up abruptly and stumbled out of bed. She made her way quickly down the stairs. Link stood up while she was coming down and looked at her. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" She asked, putting her hands angrily on her hips.

He opened his mouth in surprise, closed it again, and the opened it. "Malon, I-" She cut him off by running into him and embracing him.

Anju stood up and beckoned the other two to follow her. They went outside to sit for a moment and left the two alone. She was so relieved to just be allowed to hold him.

* * *

He winced whenever he heard her crying, he hated knowing he was the cause of her tears. "I was afraid, when I saw you laying on the floor, that I had lost you." He wrapped his arms around her for comfort and stroked her hair softly. "Why do you always put yourself before others?"

She wasn't talking about him, she was talking about the person she had thought he was. He had been nothing but selfish and cowardly since he'd met her. Always living the lie she'd assumed for fear of the truth. It had put her in harms way more than once. Their encounter with his creator at the ranch, the masked man, her pregnancy, and who knows what had happened after he had been knocked out during the fight last night. Morning light started creeping over the horizon and into the windows of the house. The way it made him sick to look at sunlight, the way it burned his skin, they were just more reminders that he wasn't whole. He could never be as whole as she needed.

He swallowed back his fear. "I don't." He said hoarsely. "I've been selfish and cowardly and I've taken far too much advantage of your kindness." The words spilled out of his mouth and she looked up at him with a puzzled expression on hr face. He took a deep breath and let go of her, even as every instinct screamed to hold her closer. "Since we met-" He cleared his throat, finding it harder to keep going. She took a step back. His hands were shaking. "Since we met, you've always called me 'Link'. I look like someone you know, someone maybe you even trusted, maybe even loved. You trusted him so much you let him approach you when he looked like, well, like this!" He thrust his arms out to her, making an example of the alien skin on them. They looked like stone in the morning rays that filtered through the window.

"This again?" Malon said. "I told you I don't care what you look li-"

"You should!" He slammed his fist on the table and winced when she jumped. He hadn't been trying to scare her. "I killed that man, Malon. I put my sword so deep into his chest I pinned him to a tree! It's what I was made to do." He was scaring her, but he couldn't stop now that it was out. "Beyond that purpose, I didn't know what I was, and my creator, he was ready to properly dispose of me the minute I completed my task." He pulled up his shirt, revealing the scars crisscrossing under the bandaged areas. "He gave me all of these in an effort to remove my ability to feel anything."

"Stop it!" Malon yelled, pressing her hands against her ears.

"I lied to you. I lied to everyone! And I put that thing inside you and I don't know what will come out!" He pointed to her belly.

"You're scaring me."

"You need to know the truth! Please, Malon, hate me, tell me you'll never forgive me, I keep putting you in harms way. If you told me to stay away forever I'd leave."

"You lied to me all this time! You let me believe what I wanted! You even dared to try and be happy with me!" She was crying harder. "I hate you! I hate you!" She pushed past him and towards the door. She fled, sobbing past Talon, Anju and Otto. The shadow ran upstairs and grabbed his cloak, throwing it on, he ran after her, too scared to keep his promise. By the time he got out of the house and down into the street, she was gone.

He looked up at Anju, Otto and Talon. They all three were looking at him like they expected answers. He pulled his hood tighter over his face and walked away. He couldn't go back there now.


	15. Revelations

He didn't know where he was going, but he hoped he was following her. He passed by the wreckage of the disastrous fight and started running towards the windmill that stood above the town and turned onto and empty street. He paused and looked around for a moment, trying to figure out where he should go next. He heard someone approaching him from behind, though they were very quiet. Before he could turn around he was grabbed from behind and a blade was pressed against his throat.

"Remember this sword, monster?" A familiar voice asked.

"You again?" He tried uselessly to struggle free. His opponent was stronger than he looked.

"Evil's bane, the sacred blade, the Master Sword. You killed it's bearer too long ago." The sharp, cold edge met his skin and he held stiff and still. "I think it wants revenge."

"Do it then," His Adam's Apple rubbed uncomfortably close to the edge when he spoke. "You'd be doing me a favor."

"You expect my sympathy with a line like that?" The man scoffed, "I'm not that stupid girl you seduced. Know if I wanted you dead now, you already would be."

"What do you want from me then?" He gritted his teeth, having no patience to deal with this hateful stranger at the moment.

"You need to finish what you started." The stranger said cooly. "Did you think you could evade your master forever? More things like yesterdays attack are going to start happening. Thanks to you, your master has only gotten stronger. He has the Triforce of Power and Courage with him now. The Hero of Time was doing well, clearing away more evil with every move he made, and it's been creeping back in ever since you killed him. How long did you think you could hide here and live comfortably in what should have been his life?" He sounded angery and the shadow was satisfied to realize this arrogant masked man could get upset.

His creator was still searching for him it seemed, he might have unwittingly brought Malon even closer to danger now more than ever. This masked man seemed like he wanted some kind of deal. "What can I do? My mistakes are made."

"I'm willing to make a deal with you. Help me defeat Ganondorf and I'll allow you to live the life you were trying to make for yourself. You have to scrape it back together on your own, of course."

"So generous of you." He replied bitterly.

He was released, and the masked man held the precious sword out to him. He didn't make a move to take it. "Prove yourself now. This sword is sacred and evil cannot wield it. I don't know what will happen if you take it. You might turn to ash, or stone, it might just burn your hand. Maybe nothing will happen at all. Show me you're dedication right now and take it from me."

The shadow's hand hovered over the hilt, nervously. Why not just slit his throat? Why make him curse himself with sacred objects he knew he had no right to touch? He looked into the masked mans one uncovered eye and saw the hatred burning within. He wanted to hope he could touch this sword and nothing would happen, but that was what the masked man wanted. He closed his eyes, and calmly took the hilt of the sword.

Nothing happened.

He opened his eyes and looked at his own hand. He was holding the sword at an arms' length like it was going to bite him but nothing happened. He let out a relieved, nervous laugh and even though he knew he sounded like a madman, he couldn't stop. "Happy?" He asked, defiantly. "I passed your stupid test. I'm holding the sword!" He gave it a quick swish through the air and felt its weight. "Me! I'm holding this sacred blade!" He couldn't contain the excitement welling up inside him. All the fear, the guilt, the hurt he had felt over the months melted away. Here he was holding the very evidence in his hands that he'd needed all this time. For a moment he even forgot Malon.

The masked man seemed unimpressed. "Are you finished now?" He crossed his arms. The shadow relaxed and the masked man tried to regain the power in the conversation. "Do anything to delay this, and our deal is off." He said bitterly. "Follow me." He ordered and pushed past the shadow, heading towards the graveyard.


	16. In the Shadows

He was led to the entrance of the Shadow Temple. The mouth of the hall that opened into the rest of the temple was cold, dark and ominous. The shadow paused at the door, every muscle in his body screamed that he should run away. Sheik, as the masked man had introduced himself, pushed him forward. "No backing out now." He said.

Memories came back to the shadow from his early life in darkness and chains. His mouth became dry and his body rigid. He clenched his fist as Sheik pushed him forward again.

"You really expect me to go in there?"

"I'm right behind you." Sheik said as an answer.

"I can't" He said, feeling physically unable to take another step forward.

"Coward." The masked man pushed past him and started walking in, "I should have known better than to waste my time on you."

The shadow gritted his teeth, not wanting to be stood up by this masked jerk he ran in headfirst. "No, wait!" Sheik yelled after him and as he rounded a corner he skidded back to stop himself from falling into a deep hole. He landed on his bottom and crab-crawled back away from it. He bumped into Sheik's legs and looked up. One cold, hateful eye looked down into his face. "Tch, either you're cowardly or you're stupid. Pick one, both is too much for me to deal with." He leaped gracefully over the hole and landed on the other side. He looked back, "Are you coming?" He asked.

The shadow stood up and brushed himself off. He backed up and lept over the hole as well, landing on one knee as he did. He grimaced and stood up, looking to the masked man. They got to a room with a wide open pit with a caged door on the other side. The landing was shaped like a tongue protruding from a grotesque, gaping mouth.

Sheik began examining the room, looking at the different panels on the walls and the large bird statue in the center. He pointed to one of the panels. "Make yourself useful and go in there." He handed the shadow a magnifying glass. "You'll need this." He said. The shadow had no clue what he was supposed to be doing with it. He touched the panel, trying to figure out how to open it, when his hand went through it. He stumbled a little and saw the room behind. The chattering tomb walls seemed to whisper to him as he passed through them. Looking through the magnifying glass, he saw where the phantom walls were hiding little nooks and crannies. He made it to the back of the twisted tunnels to a room with a large chest in it. He pulled out a strange pair of boots with slippery souls and wings on the heel.

He didn't know quite what to do with them but putting them on made his feet slip around. He decided if this was what Sheik wanted, he could have them. He made his way back to the first room and Sheik was gone. The bird statue was turned and the door inside the open mouth was now opened. The statue paced around for a while, trying to figure out what to try and do. There was a sign against the pit with some flowery riddle about sacred feet and the shadow decided to try the shoes. He put on the slippery boots and set one foot about the pit. A soft, glowing light emanated from his foot and it would not fall. He stepped back and made a run for it, running on air was a sickening feeling. His heart hammered as he was afraid of slipping down into darkness at any moment. He reached the other platform and paused for a moment to appreciate the fact that he made it. He looked down the ramp into the rest on the temple. He had to catch up with Sheik eventually, he was sure.

The temple became colder and damper as he went deeper down into the darkness. The whole place reeked of rot and mildew and a sense of dread surrounded and oppressed him. What's worse was how large the place was, there was no obvious line he was meant to move in and he had to stop at various points to look at the rooms he just wanted to leave to look through the lens Sheik had given him and find hidden things.

Occasionally he ran into large skulltulas that he had to beat down with the Master Sword before he could move on, because most of the time they blocked his path in narrow spaces. Only once did he actually have to fight a Stalfos, He had seen those around his creator's dungeon occasionally but not as often as the moblins that had regularly beaten him. All in all, the hardest thing he had encountered was the sense of dread telling him to run as far away from this place as he could.

He reached a room as deep as he thought he could possibly go. There was a long underground river of what didn't look quite like water, and a large ferry floating over the ghoulish spectacle. In a corner of the room, with her knees folded up and her head resting on them, her hair a red curtain wrapping around her, was Malon.

He threw his sword carelessly aside and ran to her. She wasn't moving. "Please be alive, please be alive." He muttered, trying to feel for her pulse or hear her breathing. He was terrified by how pale her lips were and how cold her skin felt. Her pulse was weak, but it was there. He released his breath and relaxed a little. "What are you doing down here?" He asked the unresponsive girl, "You were supposed to be out of danger when you got away from me." He picked her up, trying uncomfortably to carry her over his back. Her round, pregnant belly made the task harder.

When he turned around, Sheik was behind him, in that irritating, careless stance. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"She needs to get out of here." He answered, trying to shift her weight on his back. "She's cold and weak, she'll die down here."

"We had an agreement." Sheik said, cooly, "This girl is not my concern."

"Kill me then." The shadow and the masked man stared each other down, "Just as long as she gets somewhere safe."

After a moment, the masked man broke away his gaze. "Give her to me then. I'll get her somewhere safe."

"Where?" The shadow asked.

"Wasn't she running away from you before? Why would she want me to tell you?" It was the shadow's turn to give in. The point was getting Malon somewhere safer than here, even if that meant he might never see her again. He let Sheik take her from him. He looked at her peaceful face for a moment with an emotion the shadow couldn't place. "What did she ever see in you to get her in this mess, I wonder."


	17. Determination

AN: Whoah guys, sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out. Things have been busy since back to school. Also there was death in my family. I will promise to try and keep the updates as frequent as before but there's no guarantee I'll be able to keep up my summer schedule. Thanks for understanding and also just for being here, reading this story. It means a lot.

* * *

Malon woke with a pounding headache in a soft, warm bed. Morning, or evening, she couldn't tell, sunlight drifted through the window above her and she laid there for a moment watching dust motes drift through the light. She was trying to remember what had happened that got her here. She remembered running away from... not Link and into the Kakariko graveyard. She found herself facing two large, and angry stalfos who had taken her and dragged her down down down into a dark tomb.

She heard a door open and close in the room and turned her head. "You're awake." Said the now familiar masked man. "No no, don't sit up yet. You'll make yourself dizzy."

"How-" Malon cleared her throat, her voice was hoarse and gravelly. "How did I get here?" She asked softly.

"I'd like to ask you how you got in that temple." He said, dismissing her question. "You got very lucky you have someone that cares enough about you."

"Where is he now?" She asked

The man shook his head and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall in a pose that he looked far too comfortable in. "I can't tell you that." He answered, "I need it to move quickly and you are a distraction. Besides, weren't you running from it? It wasn't what it tricked you into thinking it was."

"It's not that simple!" Malon protested, she placed her hands protectively on her belly. "You wouldn't understand."

The man scoffed and looked away. "So you slept with it. That's not complicated, it's just pathetic."

"Stop calling him 'it'. You don't know him like I do."

"And you don't know him at all, everything you knew about him was a lie you wanted to believe."

He was getting angry, Malon could hear it in his voice, even if she could barely see his face. "Why is it so personal to you anyway? He never did anything to you!"

"Wrong! That thing is the result of my own mistakes, and it kil-" he stopped, The look in his eye told Malon he had almost said something he hadn't meant to. He turned to exit the room. "I have my own sins to atone for, it's just a useful thing to help me fix my mistakes. Forget it ever existed, when I've finished getting what I need from it, I will dispose of it."

He shut the door behind him and Malon sprung out of the bed to follow him. "No!" She yelled, She reached the door to find he had locked her in.

"You'll be safe in here." The masked man promised, she could hear him walking away. Malon pounded on the door and pulled on the handle, trying anything she could think of to open it. She looked out the window to see wherever she was was too high for her to climb out. Nothing but rocky mountain swept down below her. She was trapped.

* * *

He rode the ferry, wondering all the while why Malon had been down here to begin with. He hoped she was going to be okay but he was certain Sheik wouldn't tell him that either. He only had a vague idea of why the man hated him so much anyway, besides that it had to do with his double. Everyone seemed to have liked his double an awful lot, and not for the first time, the shadow wished he had lost that fight.

Two stalfos fell from somewhere above and landed on the ferry. They eyed him angrily and laughed. "You?" The first one spoke. The shadow hadn't known they could speak before, and he gripped his sword tighter.

"Master has been looking for you." The second one said, the first one took a swing at him while he was paying attention to the one speaking. He dodged away. "We knew when we found the girl you fled with we were getting closer."

The second one took a swing while the first one continued. "But you, here, with that sword. It's too funny."

The shadow gritted his teeth angrily and swung back. He didn't appreciate his attackers sense of humor. "Does it make you feel good, playing hero?" The second one taunted. "You know what you really are. A tool. Master is done with you, do him a favor and die." They swung at the same time and the shadow lept backwards, almost falling off the back of the ferry. He looked down into the not water. He looked towards the stalfos and swung at the first one. It put up its shield, not that he knew how he was going to harm _bone_ with his sword in the first place.

The ferry began to sink and the shadow abandoned ship. The stalfos tried to follow but the ferry plunged straight down and far too quickly, confirming to the shadow that this substance was indeed, not water. He looked around his the platform he was now standing on. There was a door across another void, how deep did this place go anyway? He saw another door on his same platform and decided to go there first.

* * *

Malon knelt at the door. She could hear the occasional sound of large people moving around outside. She had tried finding anything in the room to shove in the keyhole in hopes of fiddling around and picking the lock. She didn't know how to do that exactly but she wanted to try.

She started shouting and pounding on the door when she heard heavy footsteps march by, hoping to get someone to answer her. She was starting to lose hope when she heard heavy footsteps coming near the door again. "Help!" She yelled as loud as she could. "Let me out! Let me out!" The large footsteps stopped and Malon realized she had no idea who they belonged to. Anyone could be on the other side of that door.

She backed away as the door started to shake. "Are you hurt in there?" A deep voice asked. "Stand away from the door!" She heard a rumbling sound and backed herself into a corner. She curled up and wrapped her arms around her belly. The door burst open as a giant rock rolled into the room. She curled up tighter in a flinch. She looked up at the large boulder that had been hurled through her door. It stood up and scratched it's head. "That's one way to get the door open." He said. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Malon knew about the gorons, but she'd never actually seen one before. She had been taken by surprise when the rock stood up. "I was locked in." She began to tear up and she wasn't quite sure why. "by someone who wants to hurt someone I... I ran away from."

The goron scratched his head again. "Sounds like you've got a long story." He said. He offered his hand out to introduce himself. "My name's Link." He said, and Malon's heart skipped a beat. "I'm the mighty hero of the gorons!" He did a pose that he must have thought looked tough and heroic.

Malon rested her forehead on her knees and her shoulders started to shake. She felt large hands rest on her back. "I'm sorry... I didn't expect to hear that name here."

"I was named after a legendary hero. He saved our people twice! I got to meet him not too long ago, do you know him? I can only hope to be half as cool when I grow up! He was amazing!"

"Yeah." Malon sniffled, "He really was." She didn't have the heart to tell what she now realized was a child (how big could these gorons get as adults?) that his hero had died. She felt now as though she would lose him twice.

It was hard for her to reason the man she'd been living with wasn't the man she had thought he was, that he had killed the man she loved, that she didn't love him anymore, or that she should hate him. All of these thoughts had been battling each other since she had run away from him. She had been determined to leave him behind, but the masked man's threat to kill him compelled her to run back to him. She wiped her eyes and stood up. "Link, thank you for helping me. I need to get out of here now. There's someone I have to protect."


	18. The Mark of Cain

Sheik reappeared quietly behind the shadow. He turned around when he heard him. Sheik was staring at him, angrily. What was with this guy? "She's safe?" He asked. Maybe the masked man nodded, but if so it was slight. The shadow clenched his fist.

"She's alive and secure, you don't need to know where." He turned to the boss door. "Are you ready? This is what I need you for."

"I never did anything to you." The shadow said, angrily.

"Liar." Sheik said, in that infuriatingly emotionless tone. He stepped forward through the door. The shadow followed. The stood at a large opening in the floor. "Down there." Sheik pointed into the darkness. "Brace yourself for what you're about to see."

The shadow stepped backwards. "After you." He said.

The masked man snickered, "Pathetic." He said and jumped down into the hole. The shadow ran to the edge and looked down. Sheik had vanished in the darkness. He didn't trust the man, but he didn't want to be considered a coward either. He took a deep breath, and stepped headfirst into the darkness. He landed on what looked like a large drum, facing Sheik. "Behind you." He said and the shadow turned around.

Hanging upside down from the ceiling, was a giant headless man hung upside down from the ceiling. It's arms ended in stumps and it's disembodied hands floated around him. It's rotting flesh dangled around it's neck, which peeled back to reveal bright red muscle. "What is that thing?" The shadow yelled and stumbled backwards. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt to scared to move.

One of the hands reached out, as though to grab the shadow. Sheik dove towards it and threw a small knife at the thing, causing it to withdraw. The second hand grabbed the man and he gave an uncharacteristic screech. "Sheik!"

The shadow had no time to help him as Sheik was flung across the room. The hand was rushing towards him now and he thrashed the Master Sword out in a blind panic. stunning the hand. The torso of the headless man slapped itself down on the drum before vanishing. The shadow heard a rush of air as the thing slid towards him. He was pushed from the drum into a strange liquid. It was filled with skeletons and he felt a burning sensation where it touched him. Across the room Sheik was in a corner, passed out. The monster seemed to be laughing at him from above.

The liquid was not water and only coated the surface of the floor but it felt as though it burned through the soles of his boots. While the burning was barely a nuisance to the shadow, Sheik couldn't be fairing well in there and the shadow growled as he struggled his way towards the unconscious man. He was lighter than the shadow expected and he hoisted the man onto his back. He laid him down on the drum and faced the headless giant once more.

"Is that all you got?" He yelled at the shadow and a hand swatted towards him. He jumped back to dodge it and almost stepped on the unconscious Sheik. Another hand reached out for the masked man's lifeless body. The shadow knew he had messed up, by taking time to rescue Sheik from the goop he had revealed a weakness. He slapped the hand away with his sword and it withdrew. He took out the other hand again and felt the floor of the drum shake as the thing slapped it's torso on the drum again. Using the lens Sheik had given him, he saw the thing sliding towards him disturbingly and he slashed at the neck stump with his sword.

The thing withdrew and clasped it's floating hands over it's neck stump. It flailed about, looking like some kind of unpleasant fish on a hook. The shadow stood protectively over Sheik's body as the thing began beating rapidly on the drum and shaking about. The beating progressively became slower and the giant slapped down onto to the drum one last time and faded into a shadow that dispersed.

A light opened up on the floor and the shadow looked down. Now that the fight was over, the shadow's feelings of animosity were renewed for this unconscious man. He knelt down to check him. Unfortunately, he was still alive. The shadow picked him up and stepped into the light, the only place to go really. The light crystallized and lifted them upward.

* * *

Malon stood outside Goron City near the top of Death Mountain with Link, the goron. She bit her lip and confessed, "I don't know where to go."

The goron scratched his head. "When you don't know where to go, go back to the start." He answered. The start? No doubt not Link wouldn't be going back to Impa's house. There was nothing at the ranch. Where would the start even be?

"I don't think the start works for this situation." She said. The beginning was in Hyrule castle town where she had met Link as a child. That place was gone. She had nowhere else to go however and made up her mind to go there. "Link, Thank you." She said patting the goron child on the shoulder.

She started down the mountain path when she heard heavy footsteps behind her. "I'm coming with you!" Said the goron.

"Wont your parents be worried?" Malon asked.

"My dad isn't here anymore. He went away to the Sacred Realm to be a sage." He sounded sad. "I'm proud that my dad is so strong, but I miss him."

"Then let's go together." Malon smiled. They continued down the mountain together.

* * *

The shadow was still holding Sheik in his arms when he appeared in a room that seemed far to holy for him to stand in. An older woman appeared before him. She carried a proud posture and had a well muscled body. When she saw Sheik in the shadows arms. "What have you done to him?" She sounded frantic and she lost her stony composure.

"Rescued him." The shadow was getting exhausted of people assuming the worst of him. "He brought me with him to help. You're welcome." He just wanted to lay down somewhere and sleep. The whole dark affair underground had really drained him.

The woman straightened again. "Very well then. Do be sure to get him somewhere safe until he wakes. I suppose I have to give you this, but it belong to him, understand?"

"Maybe I don't." He answered snarkily.

"Very well." She sighed and unceremoniously handed him a purple medallion. She looked down at Sheik and brushed his hair away from one of his eyes. Something about her actions was very motherly towards Sheik, perhaps they were indeed mother and son. "Get him somewhere safe now." She was less stern this time, almost like she knew she had to trust him and was asking kindly.

"I will." The shadow said, hoping he sounded reassuring enough. The blue light surrounded them again and they were carried out of that holy room. They were sent back to the center of kakariko village. The afternoon sun glared down on them and the shadow could have let out a scream at the burning sensation on his skin. Standing there would have done no good however and he still had to carry Sheik elsewhere. He darted under the shadow of a house and went up the stairs onto the upper street. He found the door of an abandoned looking house that was unlocked and he stepped inside.

The place was dusty and coated in spiderwebs and he could hear the rustling of spiders in the shadows. He placed Sheik leaning up against a wall and sat down on the other wall beside the man.

"We're cursed, we're cursed" He could hear the whispering of small voices in the shadows.

It caused him to smile bitterly, "Then I came to the right place it seems." he muttered and then fell asleep.


	19. So Close

They reached the entrance to Hyrule castle town by mid afternoon. Link seemed fearful of crossing the bridge but didn't want to stay outside alone either. "Gorons sink... like rocks." He told Malon.

She patted him on the shoulder. "See where the bridge isn't so broken there? Step carefully and we'll make it, okay?"

They stepped across and into the market. The place she remembered well and had spent so much of her childhood in was now a wasteland. Only redeads wandered to and fro in the square. They paid the two no mind but their moaning and shrieking put them both on edge.

She saw him laying at the base of the fountain, chin tucked into his chest. He was much thinner than when she'd last seen him. His nose appeared to be broken and his two black eyes made a racoon mask across his face. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not as she ran to his side. "Uncle Ingo!" She cried out.

The frail man lifted his head slightly and Malon could see how much he had aged in the months since she'd seen him last. All of their bad history melted away when she took one of his cold, thin hands into hers. Recognition sparked in his lifeless eyes. His lips trembled as they moved but only raspy air escaped.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, but Ingo's head only slumped back onto his chest. "Link, help me." She pleaded and the young goron scooped Ingo up in his arms. His frail body cradled in the goron's large arms made him look like a sickly child. "We have to get him somewhere safe, somewhere with people to help him." She said urgently. She could only think to go back to Kakariko village.

They reached Kakariko village by nightfall and headed up the hill to Impa's house, passing an abandoned building along the way. Malon opened the door for Link and he stepped inside first, carrying Ingo. Talon and Anju had been sitting at the table and they both stood up abruptly at the goron's entrance. "What-" Anju lost her normal composure at the bizarre appearance.

"Ingo?" Talon questioned at the same time. "Ingo!" He said again when he recognized his brother and saw the state he was in. Malon stepped inside quietly and the door was left open as Talon came to her side. The worry on his face was apparent. "Malon, what happened? Why did you run? Where's Link? Where have you been?"

Talon had so many frantic questions he couldn't get them all out at once. Malon opened her mouth to answer and all that came out was a small gasp. She buried her face in her father's shoulder as the weight of everything she'd been through in the last week suddenly fell on her. "Oh dad..." She sobbed.

She felt his big hands wrap around her and pat her shoulders. "Shhh... It'll be made right." He promised.

* * *

The shadow woke up after night had fallen. Sheik was still asleep. He stood up and looked around, trying to remember what had happened. He felt a large round object in his pocket and pulled out the purple medallion. "What are these for, anyway?" He asked himself. He heard stirring behind him and could barely make out Sheik in the darkness, looking at him.

"Where are we?" The man asked. He groaned and stiffly moved his body, stretching his limbs and generally checking his body for major injury.

"Kakariko village" The shadow answered. "I didn't know where else to go with you knocked out."

"You saved me?" He sounded confused and the shadow knew this man wouldn't have done the same for him. He shrugged as an answer "Thank you." He sounded genuine enough.

The shadow handed him the medallion. "You're friend gave this to me. She was worried about you."

Sheik took it and inspected it before tucking it away in his pouch. "Let's go." He said, back to his emotionless self. The moment of gratitude was over. They stepped outside into the night and the shadow couldn't help but look up to the hill towards the house he'd made into a home with Malon. He thought for a moment he could here her crying. He took a step towards the house, compelled to comfort her. "Are you coming?" Sheik asked dangerously. The shadow shook himself, it had to be his imagination. He turned and followed Sheik out of town.


	20. So Far Away

Sheik walked quickly ahead across the dark grass in Hyrule field. His stony silence was driving the shadow mad. "That thing, in the graveyard," It was some attempt at conversation, "What was that anyway?"

Sheik stopped. "You don't want my answer." He said. "You won't like what I have to say."

"You're concerned about my feelings all of a sudden?"

Sheik sighed. "It was one of four monsters sent to the old temples by Ganondorf. They're mindless catalysts of destruction meant to spread misery where they go." He looked the shadow in the eye cautiously. "They were created by him." He paused for a heartbeat, "Just like you." He finished coldly.

It might as well have been like a punch in the chest. The shadow felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. "I'm nothing like that thing." He eventually answered. He drew his sword.

"Strike a nerve did I? Can't handle facing your own kin? You keep asking me why I hate you so much. I'll give you an answer-"

"Stop!" The shadow didn't want to hear any more.

Sheik grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him close. The shadow dropped his sword. "I see so much of him in you. I see every mistake I've ever made when I look at you and everything I've lost because of them." He was almost shouting now. "You will never know how angry it makes me that I can't finish this without you, and that I actually needed you to rescue me!" The shadow tried to pull away. "I will never forgive myself and I will _never_ forgive you!" He dropped the shadow with a shove.

Sheik turned and began walking away again. The shadow picked up the Master Sword off the ground. So much for making conversation. "You're wrong about me." He said. Sheik didn't react, he just kept walking away.

"Hurry up, we're almost there." Sheik said, he was back to his cool and collected self again,

The sun was about to rise and he had to throw on his cloak to shield himself. The end of his scarf had been hanging out of his cloak pocket and snagged in a desert bramble. He didn't notice as it slid out of his pocket, forming a long red flag that waved over the border to Hyrule field.

He caught up to Sheik and grabbed the man by the shoulders to turn him around abruptly. The shadow could see in Sheik's eyes he had caught the man off guard. Sheik tried to struggle away from the shadow's grip and kicked him in the knee. The shadow didn't even react, but he had to admit it was satisfying to watch Sheik squirm. "I've had enough of your vile words, they barely mean anything to me anymore. That's how pain works, you get knocked around enough, you stop feeling it." Sheik tried harder to break free and the shadow pinned him to the cliff wall "You listen here." He growled. "You came to me for my help and you would be dead now without me. I don't need your undying gratitude but it wouldn't kill you to back off. If you can't get over your issues with me I will leave. Are we understood?" He asked.

Sheik nodded slowly and the shadow released him. He looked the shadow in the face sternly, but said nothing else as he continued walking towards the desert.

* * *

Ingo still hadn't woken up all day. Anju had pulled out a spare cot to lay him on, but she insisted Malon take a bed, for the sake of the baby. Link rolled himself up in a ball and slept downstairs. Talon sat in a chair beside his brother, occasionally wiping his brow with a damp cloth. He didn't sleep all night. Malon laid awake in her bed and listened to her father's quiet breathing.

"Malon? Are you awake?" She heard him whisper. She rolled over to face him but didn't say anything. "Talk to me Malon, tell me what's happening. You ran off a few days ago and now you come back with..." He trialed off and Malon's heart went out to him. She didn't have answers for his questions. She was leaving again early in the morning. She still had to find Link and warn him about Sheik. This meant she was leaving her poor, confused father again. "Malon... please."

She rolled back over to face the wall and she could hear his choked, quiet crying. She couldn't burden him with what she had been through, he had the task of nursing Ingo back to health now. At least that would keep him occupied when she was gone.

Before sunrise the light on the horizon was filtered by a gauzy morning fog, making the air cold and damp. Malon slipped out the front door and laced up her boots on the steps down the hill. She needed to head across town right away. There was hardly anyone on the street and she could just hear the birds chattering as they woke up. She shivered in the damp morning air, she drew her cloak closer around her.

She knocked on the door and waited for a moment before knocking again, louder. It opened moments later and the bleary eyed old woman stepped out. "Now, I remember you, the pregnant one with the dark father." She cackled. "What brings you here so early in the morning?" She asked. Malon felt guilty for interrupting the old woman's sleep, but she was in a hurry.

"I'm leaving town, but I wanted to make sure everything was alright, with the pregnancy. I might have other questions as well." She didn't know how much this woman could help her, but if she really was a witch it was worth a shot.

"You want to know where the father is." She hadn't asked a question. She chuckled, "Old granny knows a thing or two." She led Malon over to an overstuffed couch and began touching her belly in different places and examining her. "Well you seem to be right on schedule, have you felt her moving much?"

Malon shook her head "Is that a problem?"

The witch frowned, but her tone was reassuring. "Some move more than others. Time will tell." Malon struggled for a moment to sit up but managed. "Now you're looking for the father, yes?"

She led her over to a large, bubbling cauldron with green steam coming up from it. She stirred it a few times with a big wooden stick and a picture started to emerge from it. The scarf she had knitted for Link (not Link, she reminded herself again) waved in the wind at the opening of a canyon. Malon could almost feel the desert heat coming from the cauldron. "The desert?" She asked.

"It appears so." The witch answered sympathetically, "Go to him."

Her heart fluttered as she asked her last question. "Can you tell me what the future holds?"

The old woman shook her head sadly. "I have been watching your present, and his, but your futures are clouded from my sight." She wrapped Malon in a gentle embrace. "There are hard times ahead for you, child, and I can only hope for the best. I will be watching over you." She promised.


	21. Breaking In

AN: Hey guys, I just wanted to say thanks again for reading this and I feel bad for not updating as often as I did over the summer. Things are slowing down now so my story should be back on track soon. This story is longer than I thought it was going to be and right now is only almost halfway over. Super special thanks to my followers for sticking around and supporting my story. You're all special to me and I promise to see it to the end for you guys.

* * *

Malon made her way through town, there was still debris in the town center that needed clearing out but all the dead had been removed. This was where she felt like her troubles had begun. If whatever had made its way out of the well that night had stayed down below, she would still have Link with her (not Link). She never should have ran from him, she regretted that the most. She reached the edge of town when she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Link, the goron was running after her. "Malon!" He called out, even though he didn't need to get her attention. When he caught up to her, he stopped. "You left without saying anything." He said, "Your dad is sad."

"Link, go home." She told him. "I don't know what's going to happen, and I'm sure there are gorons worried about you back home."

"But I want to go with you." He protested, "I want to go on adventures like my hero."

She still couldn't bring herself to tell him his hero was dead. She still had a hard time saying it to herself. "Go home." She said again sternly. "I can't let you follow me anymore."

The goron child hung his head and turned away, dejectedly. Malon felt a small pang of guilt as she watched him walk away, but she couldn't drag a child into this.

It was still chilly in the late morning and the dew clung to the hem of her skirt, making the fabric heavy and it slapped against her legs, making her skin cold and wet. It was an uncomfortable walk. By mid afternoon she hadn't encountered anyone on the road and she was grateful for that. Although, that really wasn't unusual, no one traveled very much since Ganondorf had usurped the throne seven years ago. The day had significantly warmed but the grass was still wet. Malon made it to the border of the desert by evening.

She saw the scarf she had made waving in the bush like a flag. She untangled it and rolled it up carefully. She looked into the canyon. The stony walls loomed over her menacingly. She knew about the gerudo that lived in the desert but she didn't know what to expect. She stepped under the cool shadow of the canyon, holding her breath.

* * *

Sheik had been silent since their confrontation. He had walked ahead. As they were coming in view of the fortress he finally turned around. "We need to be very careful not to be seen from here. The people here don't like outsiders, especially men."

The shadow nodded silently and pulled himself deeper into his cloak. Even though it was unbearably hot, he didn't dare remove it. "Shouldn't we wait until dark then?" He asked.

"That's the plan." Sheik said. "All we have to do is get from where we are now, to right over there." He pointed to a large gate leading out to a massive, barren desert. "Our next destination is beyond that gate."

It looked easy to get lost in and the shadow wondered if Sheik was losing his mind in the desert heat. "You aren't going to tell me what we're looking for out there?" The shadow asked.

Suddenly, the shadow felt something sharp against his back. Looking to his left he saw Sheik with his hands in the air and he put his up as well. That was a mistake. The burning sun against his bare arms made him instantly growl in pain and draw his arms back down. The point dug a little closer to his back with his sudden movement. "Don't move" a very feminine voice ordered. Two more guards came around the corner, both were very beautiful women. Their skin was tan and soft looking, their muscles were well toned, they both had long, red hair and bright yellow eyes. Their coloring reminded the shadow of his creator, these were the Gerudo, a society where a man is born only every one hundred years.

Spears were thrust under both Sheik and the shadow's chins and a woman who was clearly in charge stepped out into view. "What will you have us do with them?" An exceptionally aggressive looking woman with her spear in Sheik's face asked.

The leader raised a lazy eyebrow and examined the two men before her. "The exulted Nabooru is still away. Calm yourself Jillian, for now we will hold them in a cell, like the others." She leaned in close to Sheik and held her fingers under his chin. She looked him in the eyes very closely. "Thought you could sneak in past us? We have guards posted everywhere gorgeous." She winked at him and turned and walked away. The four guards led the two men deep into their fortress and locked them away in a cell.

The shadow could finally throw off his cloak, though the fortress was much colder than the outside. Sheik had his forehead pressed against one of the bars, looking out into the room. The shadow could see his shoulders shaking. "Sheik?" The shadow asked cautiously. The masked man threw his head back and laughed loudly. It was official, he really had lost it.

"I'm sorry." He said. "It's too funny. Here we've come all this way, I was almost at the end, and I'm trapped in a cell, for the crime of being a man!" The shadow must have looked confused at him because he gave another small chuckle and stopped laughing. "No." He said, "You don't get to know why that's funny to me."

They sat down, leaning against opposite walls so they were as far away from each other as possible in the cell. They could see the shadows moving across the floor, indicating the hours passing by. The cold stone against the shadows back wasn't so bad but he still felt the need to draw his cloak around him. From across the cell he could see Sheik had started shivering as the desert cooled down in the evening.

The shadow sighed and begrudgingly stood up and made his way across the room. He sat down next to Sheik and threw the cloak around both of them. He didn't have to do this, he just knew it was the right thing to do. "Thanks" The masked man muttered and pulled the cloak close to himself. The two men leaned against each other on the floor. "The things I said this morning..." He started, "I'm sorry." It sounded like that was hard for him to say. "I've made a lot of mistakes, and I've blamed you for a lot of them and dragged you into fixing them for me. I still hate you, but considering my situation, I should be more humble. You're right, I can't do this without you, and in the shadow temple, you could have left me there to die and you didn't."

"Why?" He asked, "What did I do to make you hate me so much? I didn't even know you!" He was frustrated beyond belief. Sheik was actually trying to be nice and he still couldn't bring himself to just not say 'I hate you'.

"You killed the man I loved." Sheik said straightforwardly. He was looking up into the shadow's eyes. "And you have the audacity to look like him."

"Oh." The shadow mumbled awkwardly and slid himself a couple inches away.

* * *

Malon crept towards the fortress. She could see the night guards in the moonlight and she was crouched behind a stack of crates when one passed dangerously close to her. The woman had been pacing around that area for a while, but she was alone. Malon was not weak, she had been doing most of the chores on the ranch for seven years and had built up a considerable amount of strength in the process, however, considering her pregnancy and the fact that the guard had a weapon, she wasn't willing to try her luck in a fight. Malon picked up a large rock and threw it across the yard close enough to the guard to make a noise she would hear but far enough away that Malon could slip past her while she was distracted.

She slipped into the cold, stone fortress and stumbled around momentarily until her eyes got used to the dark. The passages were dimly lit by torches and Malon was afraid her footsteps were echoing to far. "Psst. Hey, over here." She heard an unfamiliar man's voice whisper. She followed the voice. "You're not one of them." He said, "You look different. Me and my fellow carpenters are trapped here in this fortress. Do you think you could let us out?"

"Have you seen a masked man and a shadow around here?" She asked.

"No, but if they're here, chances are they're in a cell. These ladies really hate men. I bet they'd let you join them though. Think you can help us out?"

Malon nodded. "I will try." She promised.


	22. At Last

Malon crept through the fortress as quietly as she could, but that hadn't stopped her from being caught by two guards, one rather zealous and the other very calm. The excitable one kept her spear pressed against Malon's back while they guided her through the tunnels. "Jillian, calm yourself." The calmer guard finally said and Malon felt the pressure of the spear ease off her back and she was relieved.

They brought her to a door near the back of the fortress. They knocked three times and a sultry voice responded "Enter." When they opened the door they were standing in a private bedchamber. The four-poster bed was draped with a gauzy purple material and a warm fire was lit on the far side of the room. Plush furniture made the room appear inviting and soft, ornate rugs covered the stone floors. The room smelled thickly of incense. Compared to the sparse, militant furnishings throughout the rest of the fortress this room was like a tiny palace. Clearly they were in the chamber of someone important. "Well well, seems we have all kinds of intruders today. First the pretty boy and his shadow freak and now this little treat." The woman slipped out of bed very gracefully and glided over to examine Malon. Her evening wear hardly covered her body, A silky opaque forest green fabric was wrapped tightly around her breasts with a silky matching strap wrapped around her waist and between her legs, a gauzy green skirt hung from it, barely acting like a screen. Her body was powerful, tight muscle rippled under smooth, dark golden-brown skin.

Malon blushed and kept her eyes down. She had trouble looking at this woman for too long. What she had said about a shadow intruder had caught her attention but she tried not to give anything away. "Majesty, we caught this girl snooping around the fortress and brought her to you to ask what you'd have us do with her. She's-"

"A-a hopeful recruit." Malon stuttered out quickly. "I've heard many stories about the reputation of the Gerudo thieves and that you don't allow men." She patted her round stomach when she said it, attempting to infer a backstory these women might sympathize with. "I wish to join your ranks."

The beautiful woman placed a finger on her chin and raised an eyebrow. She circled Malon and examined her closely. Even fully clothed, Malon felt naked under this woman's gaze. Last she placed her hands on Malon's pregnant belly and her eyes softened. "I am truly sorry you've been so hurt by men." She said gently. Normally every Gerudo who joins us must complete the trials of the Gerudo Training Ground. However, in your current state we can postpone such a formality. For now, Jillian and Sarah, show her to the barracks please."

The two women bowed and Malon awkwardly copied them before they turned and headed back into the cold, sparse tunnels of the fortress. Jillian apologized for treating her roughly and they guided her to the barracks where everyone slept in small, hard looking beds that sat low to the floor. There was an empty bed in the corner and Sarah, the stern Gerudo, retrieved a set of scratchy sheet to cover the firm mattress. "I'm sure she will have you working physically light jobs until your child is born but everyone pulls their weight around here." The two women bid Malon good night and woke up their relief before going to bed themselves. Two more women looked at her curiously before slipping out of the room to begin their sentry duty.

The next morning, Malon had to conceal her excitement when she was told she'd be in charge of bringing the prisoners food. They provided her a pair of loose pants, some flat, pointy shoes, a top that covered her breasts with a gauzy fabric that hung loosely over her belly. "You'll appreciate these during high noon out here." Sarah assured her. "That heavy wool skirt would feel like a fire wrapped around you in the heat." Last Sarah helped her hang a veil over her face. "Part of the uniform." She explained.

After she had seen how the morning routine and breakfast worked, she was handed a cart with bowls of thick, cold porridge and a set of keys that each had a different color painted on the teeth. Jillian escorted Malon around the fortress to show her where to find each of the cells and that each key color corresponded to a panel above the door.

* * *

The shadow heard the squeaky wheels of a small cart rolling over the stone floor when he woke. His back was stiff and his bottom and left arm were numb. He and Sheik had fallen asleep leaning against the wall, and in his sleep Sheik had leaned against the shadow's left shoulder. He moved himself out from under the masked man and Sheik woke abruptly. "This time you try. Remember to speak with authority and if they give you a hard time, they can go without food." The shadow recognized Jillian's voice from yesterday and two women rounded the corner. The shadow stood straight up with a start. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears. One of those women was no Gerudo. She was pale, had large blue eyes, and was very obviously pregnant. When she met his eyes she paused and froze him in place with her gaze.

"I suppose I should have told you, we caught a freak snooping around yesterday. He took us by surprise when he took his cloak off. I'd hide too if I looked like him." Jillian explained, as though he wasn't standing right in front of her. The shadow refrained from saying anything while the excitable Gerudo was in the room.

"Face" Malon's voice broke and she cleared her throat before starting again, sounding at once serious and afraid. "Face the back wall and keep your palms on the stone!" She ordered. The shadow and Sheik both turned around and did as they were told. He wanted to turn around and rip that veil off her face, kiss her and never let go of her again. The last time he had seen her, she looked close to death before Sheik had carried her away. He was sure he'd never see her again. He heard the rattling of keys and the sound of slow footsteps. Two clay bowls shakily scraped the stone floor and he heard the door slam shut again. "You may turn again." She said, stepping more into her role.

He barely caught a last glimpse of her as they walked back down the corridor. "Have you ever seen anything like it? I think I'd rather die than be him." Jillian was saying as they walked away. Malon didn't look back.

He barely noticed the terrible taste of the cold porridge. He would have been happier if he couldn't feel Sheik's foul mood radiating off of him. "How did she get away? I had her locked away somewhere safe. And why is she here?" The masked man paced the cell in frustration for a while and the shadow smirked. It was satisfying to see him so flustered. He pointed an accusing finger at the shadow. "Somehow, this is your fault! Why do you both delight in vexing me so?"

The shadow smirked again. "Did you have your own plan for getting us out of here?" He asked smugly.

"I would have come up with one." He snapped. Sheik didn't touch his breakfast and sat sulking for the rest of the morning.

Malon came back alone at lunch time with a cart with too much food on it. "We need to get out of here." She said in a hushed voice as she unlocked the door. "They're going to find the other four prisoners I let out and they're not going to be too pleased with me." She tied a rope around each of their wrists. "This will provide us with an alibi for a little while." She explained and led them quickly through the tunnels. The shadow wanted nothing more than to hold her again or talk to her but now was not the time and he remained silent. He threw his cloak over himself as they made their way outside. "This morning I scoped out a path no one hardly ever uses. We should be safe once we're out of the valley. These guys seem more concerned with defending their fortress than going out looking for trouble."

She had thought of everything and the shadow beamed with pride, but he wasn't sure why he felt so proud of her. When they reached the canyon, Malon cut the cords around their wrists. First Sheik's, then the shadows. As soon as his arms were free he grabbed her and hugged her close to him. At first she reflexively recoiled away, trying to break from his grasp, but then she returned his embrace. "I'm so sorry." He whispered and nuzzled her hair, "I'm so sorry." He repeated. He could feel Malon shaking in his arms and he knew she was crying. "I thought I'd never see you again." His voice cracked and he felt his cheeks dampen with quiet tears. Sheik turned away from the two.

"Link!" Malon said suddenly, as though she'd just remembered something important. He winced when she used his double's name. "Link, he's using you. He means to kill you when this is-"

"I know." He interrupted, "He hates me too much to let me live."

"Then why...?" She looked at a loss for words.

"Malon," He said, looking her in the eyes, "I messed up. I killed the hero this world was supposed to have and made my creator stronger than ever. No one in this world is going to accept a monster like me, even if I save them all."

"Don't say that." she stepped back away from him.

"If I can convince one person before I die that I was good, that I was more than what I was made to be. I will happily die for that person."

"You don't have to be good, you're not a dog. You don't have to be useful, you're not a tool. Come home. We'll be a family" She begged.

"There are things more important than my own life I need to protect." He said.

* * *

He placed a hand on her belly and Malon felt a quick, excited kick inside her. She could no longer control her emotions. It was the first time she'd really felt her baby move and it had been when her father touched her. Malon let out a sob. "It's not fair." she cried. "I never asked you to die for me."

"You never had to." He answered. She wanted to be angry at him for stubbornly insisting on dying.

They heard a slow clap as the beautiful Gerudo leader stepped out of the shadow of the canyon. Her face was stony and apathetic. "Good show." She said, "I must admit your story touched me, girl. This man never hurt you the way you wanted me to think?" She looked the shadow up and down and Malon shook her head fearfully. She stepped in front of Link and looked him in the eyes. "What does she see in you, I wonder." She said curiously, "In any case, I've seen all I need to. Hey, Gorgeous." She addressed Sheik, "You and your friend here need passage to our Spirit Temple? I suppose you seek an audience with the exulted Nabooru?"

"We do." Sheik answered.

"Consider it granted." She said, "You'll have to cross the desert yourself but the both of you have my permission to pass through our gate. On the condition you bring no harm to our two newest members." She gestured to Malon and Link. She looked back at him. "A man willing to lay down his life for others, who asks for no glory in return, he has earned my respect." She said by way of explanation.

Malon felt her spirits rise. "How can I thank you enough?" She asked.

"Stop releasing my prisoners." The Gerudo answered casually.


	23. Unfortunate Circumstances

"You're not coming with us." Both Sheik and Link had insisted. "Malon, you're seven months pregnant. This is too dangerous for you." She knew that he was right, of course. But she didn't trust leaving Link alone with Sheik.

In the end, she was turned away. She traveled back to Kakariko Village, feeling exhausted after the events of the last week. On the road she heard the sound of thundering hooves behind her. When she turned around she saw a red mare galloping towards her at a fast pace. She dove away from the riderless horse just in time. "Epona!" She yelled, recognizing the horse. The mare skidded to a halt at the sound of her name. When Malon tried to approach the horse, she reared back on her hind legs, causing Malon to stumble back. She needed to calm the horse in order to approach her. She began to sing her mother's song. It had always soothed the horse when she was being trained. Epona pawed the ground a few times and then calmed.

Malon approached and stroked the horse on the neck a few times when she heard the sound of what had spooked her in the first place. Two stalfos were chasing after her on foot. "Not again!" Malon cried and struggled to quickly mount the horse, who was becoming increasingly spooked at the sound of the approaching monsters. Malon squeezed her heels tightly against the horses sides, though Epona barely needed persuading to break into a gallop.

She heard the angry shouts of the stalfos behind her as she urged the horse forward. She couldn't lead them into the village and put the citizens in danger, so she turned Epona towards the border of the forest. Once she crossed the bridge she slowed her horse and dismounted. Looking back, she thought she had lost them and she patted Epona's flank. She took in her surroundings for a moment and realized she was in the Kokiri Forest. She had heard many stories about the unpleasant things that happened to people who wandered deep into the Lost Woods, which bordered the Forest. She sat down by a rather large tree and rested. She felt her baby kick and was satisfied that the horse ride hadn't harmed her.

By that time the evening was casting it's shadows over her and she led the horse to where she saw small, faint lights in the distance. She came across a group of large trees that had been hollowed out and turned into houses. A small child happened to be standing outside the door of her own house when she saw Malon. The girl gasped and rushed inside at the sight of Malon. She stood outside the house for a moment before moving on. She saw another child sitting on a tree root that made up his own home. This village had a lot of children, she noticed.

This child approached her. "We don't normally get big people coming in and stomping around here." He said, trying to sound tough. "Strange things have been going on around here ever since... he left. The Great Deku Tree died, and all these monsters appeared and now Saria's gone. We don't need strangers turning up."

"I've been running from monsters myself today." She said, wearily. "Please, I just need some place to rest. I'd be out of here by morning."

The boy appeared to be thinking it over for a moment and then he pointed toward a tree with a ladder propped against it, the house was raised with a small platform jutting out from the tree trunk. "He used to live there, but that was years ago. It's empty if you need somewhere to sleep." Malon thanked the redhead boy and asked him where his parents were. "Parents?" He asked as though Malon had asked a stupid question before heading into his own house, shaking his head and muttering.

Malon climbed the ladder and ducked into the little raised house. The bed was child-sized and she decided it would be more comfortable to push the round table in the center aside and sleep on the carved out floor.

* * *

They had planned to go in at night because half of the two of them was severely sun-averse, but were discouraged by the gerudo from doing so because the wind in the wasteland made for low enough visibility without layering it with darkness. When they entered through the gates, they both understood and the shadow pulled his cloak tightly around him to try keep it from whipping up in the frenzy of wind around him. Sheik shielded his own eyes with his hands as they stumbled forward, fighting against the wind together.

They came to a river of fast moving sand and the shadow strapped on his winged boots and had to carry Sheik across. He was struck again by how surprisingly light the man was. "Do you still have that lens I gave you?" Sheik asked when they reached the other side. "We can't be led astray by mirages." The shadow gave the lens to Sheik and followed the masked man from flag post to flag post. The deeper they wandered into the desert, the more dense the sandstorm became around them. The shadow was surprised to feel Sheik reach out and take his hand, as though concerned they might lose each other. They reached a shelter by noon and climbed down inside the stone bunker.

"We should catch our breath." Sheik said and the shadow slumped against a wall. His skin felt raw and blasted by the sand and he shook sand from his cloak and boots. He removed his tunic as well to shake it out and was getting ready to peel off his sandy leggings as well when Sheik spoke up. "Why bother?" He said quickly, "We're going back out there soon enough anyway."

The shadow still had his leggings only half unlaced and shrugged. "Yeah," he said "But I'd rather not carry around the whole desert on my clothes." Sheik turned away as the shadow stopped for a moment, was Sheik embarrassed? He brushed it off and continued to undress.

"Those scars..." Sheik said to the wall as the shadow redressed himself. He touched them on his chest, having almost forgotten about them during his months with Malon. He brushed his fingertips over them and he could faintly feel the memories of the pain drawn out of him to make them. A stronger memory, gentle fingers tracing the pale lines that crisscrossed around his torso and back came to mind. He flinched. "Where did they come from?"

He pulled his tunic over his head and straightened it with a firm tug. "We should get going." He said sternly, "It's about time we finish this thing." He threw his cloak over himself and pulled the hood up, covering the emotions on his face.

"Sorry I asked." He muttered.

"Good, I don't owe you details about my past." He went to the doorway leading back up to the desert. "You coming?" He asked.

Sheik had pulled out a harp and plucked a slow melody on it. "We need a guide from here." He explained as the shadow heard a ghostly laughter. Sheik reapplied the lens to his eye and led the way, this time without taking the shadow's hand. Fine by him. They wandered out into the desert, the shadow now following a guide only Sheik could see.

* * *

She heard the sound of Epona's panic and the shouting of many childish voices outside. She guessed she had maybe slept for an hour. The stalfos had followed her into the forest and had set a few of the tree-homes on fire. The children were fleeing away from the monsters when Malon climbed down into the madness. The boy she had spoken to earlier had rushed out of his house, strapping on a small wooden shield and carrying a tiny sword. "You led them here?" He shouted, his tone was frustrated and far too adult for his childish body. He pointed to a girl perched in the trees, her slingshot drawn. "Fado, take the one on the left!" He ordered.

The girl nodded and fired a seed at the left stalfos, it hit and she pumped her fist with satisfaction. "Be careful, Mido." She called down.

"You just stay in the trees." He ordered and ran towards the stunned monster Fado had shot.

"What can I do to help?" Malon called up to the girl.

"Stay out of the way." The girl answered bluntly and aimed her slingshot towards the still mobile monster ahead of her. "You've done enough."

Some of the other children were running to a pool in the middle of the village and drawing water to try and put out the homes on fire. Malon rushed to help them when she heard the girl in the trees cry out. Mido was laying on the ground farther away, his small sword beside him and a stalfos standing over him. The other one had fallen into a heap of bones. Malon didn't think, she ran towards the scene, grabbing the heavy, crooked sword of the fallen stalfos. She couldn't lift it over her head but was able to give it a quick swing, slashing the monster in the back. It stood a little straighter and turned to face her. It's eyes blazed with malice as it looked down at her and she stumbled back, dropping the sword. It lifted it's own sword to strike her down when a Deku seed hit it squarely in the shoulder blade, stunning it in its place.

Fado had taken the opportunity to quickly scramble down from the tree and take up the small sword beside Mido. Malon, at the same time, had picked up the large stalfos sword again and as she struck from the front, Fado struck from behind, and the monster fell. The little girl wasted no time after the monster was gone. She crumpled to Mido's side. "Mido!" She cried, placing her head against his bleeding chest. "He's still breathing!"

He opened his eyes and his chest rattled with the immense effort of drawing enough breath to speak. "I told you... to stay in the...tree." He rattled. Fado wiped away one of the tears she had left on his cheek.

The other children were still scrambling to put out the fires. Fado looked up at Malon. "Help me carry him." She demanded. Malon scooped him up and Fado led her deeper into the forest. A great, dead tree stood in the middle of the clearing with a small sprout at the base of the tree. "Deku Sprout!" Fado ran to the tree. "Deku Sprout we were attacked, and Mido..." She trailed off and pointed to Malon who was still holding the small boy.

To her surprise the tree spoke. "Let me see him." It requested and Malon laid the boy down in front of the tree. She wondered how many other Hylians had ever been this deep in the forest and witnessed talking trees. She'd never heard stories about this. The tree appeared to examine Mido for a moment, his breathing was getting shallower and his chest rattled. His face was pale and his brow soaked in sweat. Fado ripped open the boys shirt to reveal the large chest wound underneath. Malon knew before the tree declared it. "There's nothing I can do." The tree said somberly.

Fado's face twisted in desperation and misery and she let out a small cry. Mido let out his last, shuddering breath and fell limp. Malon began to cry herself. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed.

"You should be." The girl said angrily. "You led those monsters here. Things were just getting better! The monsters cleared out, we got a new Deku Tree, everything was getting better! Then you showed up!" She snapped. "Go away! And never come back!" She was yelling now and her voice chased Malon out of the clearing. The fires had been reduced to smolders as Malon mounted Epona and fled the forest, leaving the accusing eyes of the forest children behind her.

She cried as she fled towards Kakariko Village. She rode into town and made it back to Impa's house around the midnight hour. Talon and Ingo were awake, sitting at the table drinking. They both stood up when Malon burst through the door, disheveled, crying, and covered in Mido's blood. She kept coming back to her father in increasingly horrific states and she was regretful when she heard all the worry in his voice. "I'm fine, dad." She insisted drying her eyes. "I'm alive." She collapsed on the floor from exhaustion she hadn't realized was overwhelming her. She didn't even feel her father and uncle carry her upstairs to bed where she woke the next afternoon.


	24. Stipping Away Secrets

Author's Note: Two so close together? Who is this and what have they done with the real Megan? In all honesty guys, I'd been scribbling out these chapters in my school notebook over the last week or so (instead of paying attention in class) and I've accidentally put off typing them up for you. So here they are one after the other. My momentum should be picking up now, this is where the story gets exciting! I hope you all enjoy!

They reached the temple by nightfall. Sheik had promised the shadow that this time they would not split up, no matter what. "We will need to work together in order to get through this part." He fastened on a pair of fancy looking gauntlets. "I stole these before I recruited you." It wasn't an explanation as to what they were, "And I don't trust you with them." They entered the temple together and at the first obstacle, Sheik was able to demonstrate what the gauntlets were used for by pushing a massive stone out of their path.

When they reached the heart of the temple, the shadow looked up at the large statue of a cross-legged woman with a snake wrapped around her. "Where do we go from here?" He asked. Sheik pointed straight up into the face of the statue, several stories up. "Oh, is that all?" He asked, sarcastically. He cracked his knuckles and began trying to find a way to scale the statue.

"What are you doing?" Sheik asked, posed with his hand on his hip in that lazy way as he watched the shadow start climbing.

"This'll be faster." The shadow said as he was able to half-crawl up the legs of the statue easily. When he got to her torso he began to struggle, unable to find much of a place for his footing. "Than going through the whole temple."

"You still need the key once you get up there." The masked man still stood in his casual pose and watched the shadow indifferently, "It's faster to do it the right way, honestly."

The shadow slipped and fell back into the golden lap of the statue. The wind was knocked out of him when he landed and he laid there for a moment while Sheik stood over him, eyebrow raised. "Ready to go?" He asked and the shadow finally, grudgingly took Sheik's hand to be helped into a standing position.

They climbed higher and higher into the temple and the shadow understood why Sheik had intended to stay with him this time. So much of the temple involved manipulating light with mirrors. They even found a mirror shield to carry with them. "We needed this to go on." Sheik said, tracing his narrow fingers across the polished surface. "Sometimes it doesn't pay off to try and take shortcuts." He gave the shadow a smug look but he ignored it and they moved on.

When they made it to the top of the statue from a suspended platform, Sheik hesitated. "Are you coming?" The shadow asked. There was a look in Sheik's eye that was making the shadow nervous, like Sheik was going to be sick.

"In here, we're about to meet two terribly powerful witches." Sheik said. "The sister's Twinrova. Ganondorf's mother. This will be the closest contact I've had to that man since my childhood." It was just what the shadow feared. Now Sheik wanted to open up his emotions to the shadow?

He turned his back on Sheik. "You mean one of them is his mother." He said.

"What?"

"The sisters, you said they were his mother, they can't both be his mother."

"Oh, you'll see when we get in there." Sheik brushed that off. He drew a deep breath. "Li-" The shadow turned to face him, eyes wide. Had he been about to say what the shadow thought? Sheik shook his head and started again. "They're not monsters crafted by Ganondorf, they're intelligent," The shadow bristled, but he was sure it wasn't an intentional slight towards him, Sheik didn't indicate that he noticed he'd said anything wrong, "and they have powerful magic of their own." He explained.

"Why are you saying all this now?" He asked, irritated.

"I have a secret that they cannot know." Sheik touched the shadow on the arm and looked into his eyes, his own eyes were pleading with the shadow, "Whatever happens, please, you cannot let them get close to me."

"Protect your own secrets." The shadow shrugged the masked man's touch away, "Why should I stick my neck out for you?"

"If they take me here, everything we've done will have been for nothing!" He said desperately, he paused and evened his tone, "And... Malon will die."

The shadow stiffened but he knew Sheik had won. He had found the shadow's weak point, and had played it against him. "Just stay behind me as best you can then." He said, with a menacing quiet.

* * *

Malon woke the next afternoon completely naked under her blankets. Anju must have removed her bloody clothes while she had been passed out to examine her for wounds and clean the stains from her clothes. Talon, Ingo, and Otto were out for the day, and just as Malon had predicted, Anju was washing her clothes. She kept her blanket wrapped around her and went downstairs,

"You're not planning on leaving again, are you?" The woman asked. Her tone was even, her back turned to Malon, focused on the work of scrubbing out the stains.

"I-I don't know." Malon answered, "So much is happening too fast."

Anju dropped Malon's dress into the soapy water and rested her hands on the washbasin. Malon couldn't see her face, but when Anju spoke next, she could feel the anger rising in the woman. "You don't know?" She said quietly, angrily.

"Anju I-"

The woman whirled around on her, Malon could see hot, angry tears welling up in her eyes. "You are pregnant! Your father is so worried sick he can barely eat or sleep! You refuse to tell any of us anything! You come home with gorons and injured people and covered in blood and you leave again with no explanation! Have you thought about what you're doing to those who care for you? There's no excuse for what you've put your family through."

Truth be told, Malon had barely thought of what she had put any of them through by disappearing and reappearing all the time. She thought of the boy Mido in her arms and Fado scornfully shouting her away from the forest the night before. She thought of Link, the real Link, and all the effort he had taken to try and rescue her. She thought of Link, the goron Link, who she had let follow her from his home just to chase him away. She thought of the fake Link, her Link, the way she had run away when she didn't want to hear the truth, and all the trouble that had caused for him, getting him stuck in the desert with a man who planned to kill him, forced to save the world before he died. She pulled the blanket tighter around her, but it didn't do anything to stop her from feeling so naked under Anju's judging eye.

Tears welled up in her own eyes. "You're right." She admitted as her tears began to spill out. "I'm so sorry, I'm no good to anyone, and I've caused you all so much trouble. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She rested her head on the table and began to cry. She felt Anju sit down beside her and put a hand on her back, rubbing it gently.

Over the next hour, Malon told Anju everything that had happened, from the first time she had run from Link, to the trouble she had caused in the forest the night before. Anju listened intently and when Malon was finished Anju embraced the poor girl. "All will be made right my dear, but you must take care of yourself, so Link can come back home to a healthy mother and baby." The words were meant to comfort, but all Malon could think of was Link stranded in the middle of the desert with a man who wished him dead. She couldn't be comfortable until he was home.

* * *

The shadow struck the final blow against the armored sentry the witches had enchanted and the last bits of the suit fell away. A woman crumpled to the floor in front of him and the shadow raised his sword to strike at her.

"No wait!" Sheik yelled. "She's the sage!"

The shadow hesitated as the girl woke up and the witches reappeared. They cackled and mocked the woman, who looked like a frightened girl as they floated around her. They said something between cackles about brainwashing and keeping her prisoner and the shadow grit his teeth. He stepped forward to help the woman when the witches each threw blazing orbs of light at the girl, who disappeared in a burst of light that made the shadow leap backwards.

"What have you done with her?" Sheik demanded.

But the witched had already vanished, leaving behind their mocking laughter. "If you want to find her, come face us." They cackled and the sound of their laughter faded away.

"She better not be dead!" Sheik roared in frustration and rushed headlong through the door to the next chamber. The shadow was right behind her. "I thought you wanted me in front!" He said, taken aback by Sheik's abrupt lack of caution, but Sheik was already scaling the large, square platform in the center of the room. He had been blinded by his rage.

"Sheik!" The shadow began to scale the platform as well.

"Eeh hee hee hee!" The first witch appeared as Sheik and the shadow stood in the center of the platform. "Look here! It's that nasty shadow that killed the _real_ Hero of Time." She cackled.

Her sister appeared on the other side of the room and cackled as well. "Oh ho ho! Fancies himself the hero now, does he? Ganondorf has been looking for him."

"Ohhh careful Koume, he's brought a friend with him."

"I see that, Kotake. And he's hiding behind a powerful spell."

"It matters not, with my ice I will freeze them to their souls."

"And with my flame I will burn them to the bone."

"And we will find the face of the man under a spell. Make no mistake of that."

The two witches cackled and began to spiral around the shadow and Sheik.

One blasted a beam of ice towards them and Sheik caught it with the mirrored shield to send it towards the other. "We have to use their powers against them!" He said urgently, cover me and I'll keep their magic off of us.

One of them swooped in close and the shadow waved his sword, trying to catch the old hag in midair. The other one shot a beam of fire towards them and Sheik had no way to angle it towards the ice sister, who was swooping in again to grab at Sheik. The shadow swung at her and was surprised to be caught up from behind by the other cackling hag he had lost sight of. He called out for Sheik, who turned and his eyes widened in fear and understanding as the second sister caught him up as well.

The witch moved slowly, running her fingers over Sheik's body. "A very powerful glamour." She observed, restraining the struggling man. She stopped as she touched his right hand. Her eyes widened with excitement. "Eeh hee hee! Did you think you could hide here? Princess Zelda?" With a flourish she ripped something away from Sheik that the shadow couldn't see. The masked man cried out in pain and went limp in the witches grasp, but he was no longer masked, and very much no longer a man.

The unconscious woman was unmistakably beautiful. The shadow was stunned silent, he stopped fighting against his captor and just stared at the woman. "Prin...cess Zel...da?" He said slowly, not quite able to understand what had just happened. The witches flew up, higher and higher until they exited the temple and into the desert night sky. They were flying directly towards Ganon's Castle.


	25. Square One

When the shadow woke, he hesitated to open his eyes. The air around him was damp and cold, and it carried a familiar smell of decay. He flexed his fingers and they scraped against the dirty, cold stone floor. He lifted himself into a sitting position, his wet hair plastered to his face. He went to brush the hair aside with his fingers and heard the clink of chains drag against the floor. His eyes didn't need to adjust to the darkness to know he was chained to the wall. He fixed his eyes to the dark shape behind of the bars of his cell, the outline of a large presence watching him. Details began to become clearer as the shadow adjusted to the light.

"Welcome home, my son." His creator said quietly. The shadow tensed at the calm menace in his voice, yet at the same time he felt a swelling in his chest at being called his son. He tried to brush the feeling away, knowing this was the man who had ordered his death, knowing this was the man he had been trying to destroy with Sheik- well, Princess Zelda. "Why, my son, have you caused me such pain? You've killed my men, awakened a sage, and conspired with the Princess. How did your dear friend Zelda repay your aid? When the sages intervened with what incomplete power they have and stole her away from my grasp!" He pounded his fist on the arm of his chair, his words turning into growls through his clenched teeth, "They neglected to save you as well. What friends have you made for yourself, pretending at hero?"

"You- you ordered to... have me killed..." The shadow's head felt heavy and clouded, his tongue was thick in his dry mouth. His voice sounded feeble and he barely had the strength to speak at all.

"My son, you have lived in that world for far too long. You must have been so very alone, looking into suspicious and hateful eyes. There is no one like you in this world, and no one will love you for it." His memory drew up the images of shock on the faces of people when they had first seen him. He remembered Malon's gasp when she had shined a light on him in the barn. He remembered the fear in her eyes when he finally told her the truth, and even worse when she had fled from him for it. He remembered all the times Sheik had addressed him as 'monster'. "Do you not see that sparing you the experience of this terrible world hurt me far more than it could you for I was separating myself from you? Not even I could make these terrible Hylians come to accept you if I tried. What I intended for you was a kindness as reward for how good and useful you had been. But now my son, you can come home."

He spoke with the tone of a patient teacher and the shadow almost wanted to believe in his words. It had been hard, all that time ago to accept that his creator had never cared for him. But no, his final sentence had struck a chord. _"You don't have to be good, you're not a dog. You don't have to be useful, you're not a tool."_ Malon's voice rang clearly through his memory. _"Come home."_ She had tearfully pleaded. He could see her large, blue eyes now, looking into his with trust. Home was the house in Kakariko, sitting at the table with warm bread to dip in his soup. Home was the top of the tower on candle night when a surprise scarf had initially startled him while it was flung around his neck. Home was a warm bed with Malon tucked under his arm. He placed his hand against his heavy head and heard the dragging of the chains as he did so. He was as far from home as he could possibly be. A year ago, he might have believed his creator, fallen at his feet and devoted himself twice over to the creator he had loved as a father. He gathered his thoughts and as clearly as he could, he asked "What purpose do you have for me, creator?"

A broad, smug smile played across his creators face. "You will bring me the Triforce of Wisdom."

"It will be done, creator." He promised. "Send me."

His creator raised a hand to gesture a halt. "There is no reason to be impatient, my son. I have waited seven long years, and Zelda can do nothing without the final sage awakened. I will send you, but first..." He stepped into the cell and towered over the shadow who was still sitting on the floor. He raised his foot and brought his heavy boot down behind the shadow's shoulder. The shadow couldn't stop himself from letting out a slight gasp as the wind was blown from his chest. His vision blurred into darkness and when it flooded back to him, tiny dancing lights spun around his vision for a moment. "A year away from me has made you soft. We must remedy this before I can set you off again." He turned to leave the cell but the door was left open for a Moblin guard brandishing a whip. "Until he is unconscious." He ordered and the brutish monster grunted a mirthless chuckle.

The shadow heard the old, familiar reverberating of his cell door as it slammed shut. The sound echoed through the deep dungeon. "Creator, no! Creator, please!" The shadow had stood and rushed as close as he could to the bars of his cell, his arms straining behind him against the manacles.

Behind him he heard the rushing of air before the whip struck his back with a loud _crack!_ Of course, it had been pointless, even foolish to plead for mercy. The shadow slumped forward, letting his mental state slide back to his early life, when this dungeon had been all he knew. The faster he could become that unfeeling, obedient servant again, the sooner they would release him. He needed to get out of there as soon as possible, so he let whatever would happen happen. The sting of the whip dulled long before the blood loss and physical exhaustion of the exercise forced his body into unconsciousness.


	26. No Escape

He didn't know how much later it was when he woke again. His back stung like thousands of tiny needles digging into his skin. A fine grit covered his face where he had laid on the floor. When he sat up he couldn't tell if the burning sting in his back or the gnawing emptiness in his stomach. His shirt had been torn to shreds against the whip. He had already lost track of how many days he had been down here and he hadn't had anything to eat. He sat against the wall and waited what felt like hours for anyone to come around. When the door to the dungeon slammed open, he looked up towards the stairs, a moblin guard was marching towards his cell. He said nothing but slid a pitcher of clean water towards the shadow and then turned and walked away, leaving the shadow alone again. He shivered as he drank down the water, which soothed his dry throat and moistened his dry mouth.

He drank until he was slaked and poured the rest down his naked back. The cool water only soothed temporarily and the sting blossomed across the surface of his skin again. He put that pain out of his mind. His loneliness gnawed at him like his hunger, and he was sure even more hours had passed until another moblin finally came, the dim orange light when the dungeon door opened suggested evening. He carried a hard, cold loaf of bread on a plate with him and watched with what might have been disgust as the shadow wolfed it down. When he had finished, the moblin gave him a swift kick in the gut, forcing the food back up. It was a dry mass in his throat that struggled to move itself into his mouth. It came out as a stiff glob on the floor with a disgusting trail of thick mucus clinging to the shadow's lips. The guard turned and left him alone, slumped in a ball. He couldn't stop the tears dragging trails of dust down his cheeks, though he knew each one would cost him later.

* * *

Malon was struggling to return to the monotonous life in the Kakariko house. She helped Anju with light chores and tried to make small talk at mealtimes, but without Link there she felt like a large part of what had made the place home was missing now. She had spent three days back in that life when a rather masculine woman, carrying a young unconscious woman in her arms entered the home. With five people already living there, the inhabitants tried to protest that they were reaching capacity. "Am I to be barred entrance from my own home?" The woman had asked sternly and when she was recognized as Impa, frantic apologies and hasty accommodations were made for her and the girl.

Impa left shortly after, muttering hasty explanations about business in the desert and urged them to keep her appearance and the girl a secret. It fell to Malon to look after her. They might have been around the same age but it was hard to tell for certain. The girl was pale and feverish and her shallow breaths barely raised her chest. She was close to death. Malon sat at her bedside, keeping the damp cloth on her forehead cool and occasionally wiping her cracked lips with a damp rag. It was another day before she finally opened her eyes. She didn't say much when everyone expressed their relief to see her awake, she merely asked for water and remained in bed. Everyone cleared out of the house for the day shortly after breakfast and Malon sat beside the girl while she laid with her eyes closed on the bed, though she wasn't sleeping. Malon was startled out of her wandering thoughts when the girl spoke. "He's been taken." She said quietly.

Malon blinked at the girl, her eyes were wide open, but she was staring at the ceiling instead of looking at Malon. "He?" She asked.

"He's been taken by Ganondorf." The girl said, as though speaking was an effort, "Don't make me use the name you do."

"Who are you?" Malon stood over the girl, wanting answers for all the questions she couldn't begin knowing how to ask. "How do you know where he is? Is he alive?"

The girl closed her eyes as though she were exhausted. Curiously, a small Adam's Apple appeared on her throat and when she spoke again, her voice was a very familiar man's voice. "Perhaps you recognize me better now?"

"Sheik?"

The Adam's Apple sunk back into the girls throat and her voice returned to it's feminine pitch, "Don't ask me to do the whole spell." She said softly, "Even that bit was taxing, but it convinced you faster than my word alone."

"What happened to you? Where's Link?" Malon's heart fluttered in her chest. Something really bad had happened in the desert.

The girl commanded a stern presence even flat on her back and she looked Malon in the eye in a way that made her feel somewhat shy. "We encountered the Twinrova sister's in the desert, two very powerful witches. They mistook my disguise for a glamour and ripped it from me. You'll have to forgive me, I have no recollection of what happened from there. Having such a spell forcibly removed almost killed me. I can only assume that I was rescued, as I'm not dead or in Ganondorf's tower, and if he's not here, he wasn't as lucky." she closed her eyes again, looking exhausted even from that brief explanation.

"Who are you, really?" Malon asked quietly.

"You must keep it a secret." She waited for Malon to nod. "I am Zelda."

* * *

It might have been morning, or afternoon when his creator again came to visit. "My son." He said softly, "I know this is hard for you, harder this time around because you've spent a year growing soft, but you must understand I do this only out of love." He did sound genuinely remorseful. "You must be strong to withstand this cruel world. No one understands you as I do, and they will fear you and try to destroy you because of it."

"Creator, please." The shadow's voice was barely a whisper and his words crackled weakly through his dry lips. He wanted to beg for water, or food, or death, whichever felt the most merciful. "Give me a name." The words had surprised the both of them and the shadow's eyes widened in fear. His heart skipped a beat while the question hung between them for seconds that felt like years.

The door of his cell slammed against the bars with a loud **clang** and his creator wrapped a powerful hand around his neck and lifted him into the air. The shadow struggled for breath and kicked his legs weakly. His creator growled menacingly as he thrust the shadow against the wall and leaned in close. The shadow's cold, shaky fingers scrabbled at his creators strong hand around his neck. "You are a tool, created to carry out my will! You are nothing without me, understand? You have no name! You will never make such a request again. Do I make myself clear?" The corners of his vision began to blur and darkness was creeping shadow struggled to nod but he couldn't speak. His creator released him, letting him collapse onto the floor where he crumpled and gasped for breath.

He was left alone again. He was so thirsty, he drank the water from a dirty puddle on the floor but nothing could suppress his gnawing hunger. He glanced at the hard, dried lump of regurgitated bread on the floor, but he didn't touch it. He was hungry, but not that hungry. The only thing to do was go back to sleep.


	27. What Happens Now?

When he woke again rats were gathering around in his cell. Their aggressive squeaks and quarrels had roused him but it was the smell of what had attracted them truly woke him. He dove for the tray of food and chased the beastly little rodents away. The food was half eaten, tiny tooth marks indented bits of the cold, but fresh bread. The soup had a thin crust of congealed fat on the surface where it had chilled in the cold dungeon. He dipped the bread in the soup to break the greasy layer up and then bit into it greedily. Once he had finished the bread he tipped the bowl up to his lips and drank down the soup. It was a thin, beef broth with chunks of carrot in it. It was a cold, greasy slime that it slid down his throat and made him long for a drink of water to wash it down. The carrots were soggy and fell apart in a mush in his mouth. After days with no food, it was a feast. Pained tears squeezed out of his eyes as the food settled in his stomach, reminding him he could have devoured a meal three times larger.

He curled up again on the floor, facing the wall. His head and limbs felt heavy and if he had thoughts, they were sluggish. His cell door creaked open what felt like hours later and he was only vaguely aware that he couldn't turn his head to look at who was entering. His mind briefly entertained the thought that his food had been drugged, but he had barely thought it when he forgot why it was a concern. He tried to lift his head but it was as heavy as a stone. His shackles were removed with a rough twist that reminded him they'd been wearing away at his skin beneath for however long they'd been on. Once exposed to the cold air they tingled with a sharp needle sensation.

He was picked up by pairs of rough hands and carried under his limbs, his head swinging uselessly forward. He could no longer keep his eyes open to see where he was being taken. He was only vaguely aware he was being taken somewhere and that this wasn't all a dream.

* * *

Zelda was getting stronger every day. She would not leave the house to avoid drawing attention to herself and had ordered Malon to continue addressing her as Sheik. The name was ambiguous enough for either gender. Anju had asked the most questions at first but Zelda had deflected them all. She had made herself suspicious only among the members of the house, no one in the town had even seen her. Malon was trying hard to be patient while Zelda recovered, but once she appeared to be well again she had begged the princess privately to help her save Link.

"What do you expect me to do? Storm into Ganon's castle alone and hand him the last piece of the triforce in exchange for your pet monster?"

"Don't call him that." Malon answered sternly.

"He may be dead by now, you know that, right? When I face Ganondorf, I will have to do so on my own, and your monster owns responsibility for that. If it happens that I find him while I am on my way to face Ganondorf, I shall have no choice but to try and recruit his help, if he is alive." She answered with a kind of cool indifference. She hadn't abandoned her detachment with the disguise of Sheik.

"You traveled with him, you spent time with him and still you feel nothing? You must have seen his goodness in even some small action. What do you love?" Malon felt herself getting excited with anger. How could Zelda not care about anything?

"Hyrule." She answered dutifully. "And nothing else."

* * *

Soft light made a hazy vision in front of the shadow and he thought for a moment he must be dead. He was laid in a soft bed in a new room. His hair and body were clean, his wrists were bandaged, and he was wearing a fresh new black tunic. His creator sat at the foot of his bed, watching him. His face was unreadable. A stalfos stood by the door, guarding the room. "Leave us." Ganondorf said quietly, dangerously. The stalfos bowed and left. "My son." he said, maintaining his quiet tone. "I have forgiven you abandoning me when you ran away last year. I have forgiven your betrayals when you worked against me with the princess. I have been patient with your resistance to me in my dungeon. How much more of your rebellion must I endure?"

The shadow flinched like a child from parental disappointment and the expected slap to his face that follows. Even now, he felt a strange kind of attachment to his creator. "Creator, forgiv-"

His creator stood, "You concealed your child from me." His tone was growing more dangerous. "No matter, I will find the mother and I will bring them here. Don't look so horrified my son, we can be together, as a family. Isn't that what you want?" He turned to march out.

"Wait," the shadow rasped, he found he was too weak to climb out of bed and even when he managed, he sunk weakly to the floor on his thin legs. "Wait!" He yelled as loud as he could. The door slammed indifferently before him.

* * *

AN: Whoah guys, Megan here, crazy stuff has been happening leading up to the holidays. I had a birthday! My cousin got married! So much has pulled me away from this story. Things are only going to get crazier throughout the holidays so please be patient. I have not given up on this story and I promised I would finish it.


	28. Moving Closer

AN: This chapter is dedicated to my friend, Kelsey, for getting my ass back in gear and telling me to write it. Sorry for the unannounced hiatus everyone, hope you all had a great holiday season.

Impa came back only days later. It was late in the evening and everyone had been sitting around the table, quietly sharing a meal. Zelda's strength had fully recovered by this time. Impa hadn't bothered to knock, when the door opened it let in the warm, early summer rain. Everyone looked at the woman in the doorway, waiting for her to say something. "My lady." She said urgently, "Everything is ready."

Zelda nodded and stood up. She said nothing to the group at the table and they were both gone in a flash. "Well." Anju sighed, "That was abrupt."

Malon pushed her plate away. "I am full." She said, grabbing for her cloak to head for the door.

"And where do you think you're going now?" She heard her father say from the table.

Malon bit her lip and hesitated. "I'm sorry." She said, "I have to follow them."

Talon pounded his fist on the table. "No you don't! You don't have to do anything of the sort!" His outburst startled Malon and made her jump. They both locked eyes for a long moment. All Malon heard was her heart beat. She could feel everyone's eyes on her.

She nodded, and then opened the door and rushed away after Impa and Zelda. "Malon!" She heard them all calling as they ran out of the house. She ran behind the house and mounted Epona bareback with great difficulty. She almost slipped on the fence as she climbed from there onto Epona's back. She sped off through the town, hearing the cries of her family grow fainter behind her.

She caught up with Zelda and Impa just outside the town, they weren't taking their horses quite as fast in the rain. "Wait!" She called out several times.

They turned and Zelda rolled her eyes. "How many times do you have to be told to go home?" She said, exasperated.

Malon slowed Epona beside him. "Please." She said, "Take me with you. Just to the castle itself, I just need to find him. If he's alive I need to find him."

"I'm not letting you go in there. You're clearly incapable of defending yourself." Zelda answered.

"Perhaps she could go with me." Impa volunteered, she looked at Malon knowingly. "The sacred realm is much less dangerous and she'll be able to keep an eye on things with the rest of us."

Zelda shot Impa a stubborn look that faded quickly and she sighed heavily. "What will you do if you can't find him?" Zelda asked.

"I'll think about that when I have to." Malon gently placed her hand on her swollen belly.

* * *

The shadow paced around the room. He had to lean against the wall less and less as he was regaining the strength in his legs. It helped that here he was being given more frequent and regular meals. He could also start managing a few push-ups. When he heard the key turn in the door he would rush to a chair or the plush bed to try and hide his exercise routine. He didn't want his creator knowing he was regaining his strength so quickly.

He heard the key turning in his door and had just covered himself in the bed when his creator entered the room. He flinched, it wasn't often he came to visit the shadow himself anymore. This couldn't be good news. "My son, we should celebrate." He said gleefully. "It seems everything we want is making its way to us! My spies tell me Princess Zelda is riding now towards my palace, carrying the final piece of the Triforce. And she has the mother of your child with her."

It felt like electricity rippled through the shadow. He could only stare, horrified at his creator. "Come," Ganondorf said. "You must join me in greeting them." Two moblins entered the room and placed the shadow in a wheeled chair.

"Won't she be just delighted to see you again?" His creator said, mockingly. He pulled out a small mirror and it was the first time the shadow had seen himself in a very long time. He was horrified by what he saw. His face was gaunt and his sunken eyes had large, dark circles beneath them. He reached up and touched his fleshless cheek. His skin looked dry and stony. If he had appeared frightening before, now he was truly monstrous. If Malon saw him like this, she'd surely turn away. He wouldn't blame her. His creator smiled a malicious smile. "It will remind you that you belong to me and no one else. She'll never want you to come back to her, and after she has your little spawn, she wont be required anymore. I will let you dispose of her personally if you like."

He was wheeled along beside his creator as they moved to the Great Hall of the palace. The shadow kept his head down so his long, thin hair covered his face, and let his tears silently fall.


	29. Drawing Nearer the Close

They rode into town and Malon gasped, not out of surprise, she had already seen the devastation of the town. She had gasped because She suddenly felt a tight pain low in her pelvis. Zelda and Impa turned in their horses and looked at her. "Should you be going any further?" The princess raised an eyebrow.

"I'm fine." Malon existed. The pain was gone as quickly as it had come. Minutes later, they were outside the door to the Temple of Time and had just dismounted when Malon felt it again. "Ohhhh." She groaned. Impa propped her up and helped her walk into the temple. The pain was gone again just as it had left last time.

"My Lady, she's going into labor." Impa said, straightforwardly.

"Not now!" Malon said, panicking.

"We don't have time for this!" Zelda said impatiently and she marched deeper into the temple, Impa supporting Malon behind them.

"We cannot leave her alone." Impa protested.

"Then bring her to the chamber of sages with us." Zelda said. She held up her right hand and the triangle on the back shown with a golden light. They were surrounded by light as it got more intense and Malon felt a rush of wind swirl around her as they were all transported to a serene and beautiful room.

The strange group around her included a Kokiri child, a Zora woman, a Gerudo, a Goron, Impa, the Princess, and a rather large, wise looking man. "It's time." Zelda said to everyone in the room but Malon. "I know this isn't the way any of us planned for this to happen."

"That's what you said when the hero was killed." The Zora woman crossed her arms.

"That's what Impa said you would say when you were defeated by those witches." The Kokiri girl said.

"I know." Zelda pressed her fingers against her temple. She looked very tired. "But we're at the end now. All of us are finally gathered together and we can seal away Ganondorf once and for all."

"We don't even have the Master Sword." The Goron pointed out. "What's your plan for sealing away that wicked king without it?"

"Look" Zelda pointed to one of the many fountains in the room and an image shimmered to life before them of Ganondorf in his throne room. Two pieces of the Triforce were mounted above the throne the Dark King was lounging in. Hanging in its scabbard from the right arm of his throne was the Master Sword. Sitting in a smaller chair to his right was Link. He looked frail and sickly, his complexion had paled like the ink of an aged book left in the sun. Malon gasped at the sight of him as another round of contractions made her wince. "His vanity is without limits and he keeps his trophies close to him. He will be his own downfall. All I need you to do is help me get into the throne room and I will take the sword myself."

"And if you fail again?" The Zora asked indignantly.

"Will we not try for fear of failure? Let us lock ourselves away in this chamber for eternity and let him ravage Hyrule and spread his fear across the world? You think this chamber will be safe forever? How long can we keep the beasts that have destroyed the Sacred Realm itself at bay? Or perhaps we should wait for the Goddesses to finally awaken and take pity on us. They have been silent these seven long years and our prayers have fallen on deaf ears." Zelda had the attention of the room and Malon saw a bemused smile play across Impa's stern face in some hint of motherly pride. Zelda continued, "Our time to act is now, and if I fail I will die saying that I fought to the end instead of hiding away like a coward! I only ask that you believe in me one last time."

The large old man stepped forward first. "I will be with you." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"For the injustices my people faced at his hands, you have me, brother." The Goron said.

This appeared to stir something in the Zora and she stepped forward, "Count on me!"

"And me!" Said the small girl.

"It's personal for me." The Gerudo said.

"Impa?" Zelda looked to her mentor.

Impa smiled warmly. "You couldn't make me more proud of you than now." She answered happily.

The history this group had with each other was lost on Malon. She felt like an invisible watcher, an intruder. Suddenly another contraction wracked her body and she cried out. The group turned their attention to her. "I will go now. You all keep an eye on things from the inside." She pointed to the Zora and Impa. "Do keep an eye on that Hylian girl please? I've grown a bit attached to her." She stood in the center of the chamber and there was a flash of bright light. When it faded, Sheik was standing in the middle of the room. He bowed politely to the group and vanished in a ring of blue light.

"Aren't any of you going with her?" Malon asked, he voice strained by the pain.

"Our duties are here." The large man answered. He waved his hand over another fountain and the group was watching Sheik make his way into the castle.

"You needn't concern yourself with that." The Zora told her, "You've got your own labor to do."

Malon nodded and the Kokiri girl knelt by her brow, dabbing her brow with a cloth damp with the water from the fountain. Impa knelt between Malon's legs and observed her progress. "You're coming along just fine. You can be ready to push with your next contractions." She told Malon. The Zora was sat beside her and Malon gripped her webbed hand tightly when her next contractions started.

* * *

"You see my son, soon we will have the third piece of the Triforce, Zelda is generously bringing it our way now." His creator was in a gleeful mood, "And then I shall have this world and the Sacred Realm in my hands." he closed his hands together as if gripping something invisible and smiled widely. "And you will sit on my right, forever."

Zelda was coking here? What could she be thinking? He had to think fast, had to formulate a way to help her when the time came. If she failed his creator would have the Triforce reassembled and it would be all over. He looked at the Master Sword beside him without trying to betray his thoughts. No, he was still to weak to lift it himself, let alone take more than a few steps without leaning against a support. When Zelda came he would have to find a way to get it to her. He was under no illusion that his creator would kill him instantly if he failed, or even if he succeeded. _"Malon"_ The name echoed in his head and he closed his eyes. He could feel warm sunlight on his face and it didn't burn him, tall, cool grass swaying all around him with the soft breeze, a song in the distance from a sweet voice. He breathed in the sweet, fresh air and it didn't feel like the stagnant air of the throne room. He wasn't afraid to die to make that world a reality for her again.

"My son?" His creator was looking at him now.

"I was imagining the world you would create, master." He answered, "It is a wonderful place."

His creator smiled and stroked his head like a hunter rewarding his favorite dog. "In good time my son. In good time."

The shadow meanwhile was scanning the room, trying to formulate a plan, but for the moment he felt helpless.


	30. Just One Wish

"You're almost there. I need you to keep breathing." Impa instructed. Malon's hair was plastered to her brow as she gave another push.

* * *

The shadow's heart skipped a beat when the door to the throne room finally opened and Sheik entered. "Princess Zelda, how wonderful of you to join us. We were just about to celebrate." Sheik remained sternly silent, he wasn't here for banter. "You see, after seven long years we're finally reuniting all the pieces of the Triforce in one place. I'll finally have the world at my disposal. I would be honored if you sat at my right as queen."

The shadow tensed, of course he hadn't been fooled by his creators promises, but to hear them casually disregarded and offered elsewhere was noteworthy to him.

There was a flash of light and Zelda stood where Sheik had been. She stepped forward and threw a flash of blue light in his direction. Ganondorf shielded himself with his cape and dispelled the beam. He quickly stepped towards her and grabbed her arms, pinning her to the wall by the wrists. "Now now, Princess, there's no need to be that way." He smiled and stroked her cheek before reaching into her. The shadow gasped in surprise as Zelda cried out. His creators hand was wrist deep in a circlet of light in Zelda's chest. He pulled away the last piece on the Triforce and The shadow could see the mark fade from Zelda's hand.

* * *

Malon screamed and all the sages were sent into a panic. After all the work they had done, summoning a bridge, and dispelling the barriers. After all the work that had come before that gathering them all here in the sacred realm. After the seven years of suffering the people of Hyrule had endured. It had all come to nothing. Zelda's fight was finished before it had truly started.

Impa didn't take herself away from her work. "You're almost there Malon, focus. I need one last push." Malon screamed and gave one last hard push. The disturbing display happening in the fountain may as well have been a theater production from the moment Malon heard her baby cry. Everyone in the room besides Impa and Malon had been watching the start of might well have been the end of the world.

Malon laid back, exhausted. "Please. Let me see her." she said, weakly.

Impa ignored Malon and cleaned the newborn and wrapped her in a bundle. She stood with the child in her arms. Her duty with Malon finished, she turned her attentions back to the display on the fountain. She saw the Zora woman, Ruto, lean over and look at the child. "Oh." She gasped and gave a pitying look to Malon.

Malon watched as the last piece of the Triforce flung itself across the throne room in the projection on the fountain and joined the other pieces above Ganondorf's throne.

* * *

Everyone in the throne room was frozen in time for a heartbeat as the Triforce rejoined itself. Zelda was breathing heavily, her strength spent. The king had a broad smile spread across his face and took a step towards his prize. He was relishing this moment.

The smile dropped as the shadow reached up and touched the edge of the sacred triangles.

The two men stared into each others eyes. They were no longer master and servant, now the shadow had a power over his creator. His creator regained his smile but it was a much tenser smile than before. "Well done, my son." He mustered through clenched teeth "Now we can build the world we wanted together." Zelda rolled her head back and she made brief eye contact with the shadow before he looked back to his creator. Was that pleading in her eyes?

"Whoever touches the Triforce gets to make a wish, right?"

* * *

Everyone in the Chamber of Sages leaned in to watch what was happening in the fountain. Malon was too weak to sit up but kept her eyes fixed to the fountain from her position on the floor.

* * *

"I wish for the strength to defeat Ganondorf." The shadow never broke eye contact with his creator.


	31. The Fall of The King

Time seemed to have frozen inside the throne room for the shadow he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. He gripped the arms of his chair and stood, feeling the strength return to his body. He drew the Master Sword and his creator roared in anger. He charged at the shadow, sword drawn, and that shadow it with his own. "Do you have any idea how long I waited!?" Ganondorf roared and brought his sword down with a powerful blow. "The planning!" *crash* "The patience!" *clang* "And you! I gave you life!" *clang* "I molded you into the perfect body! I took your pain from you!" *slash* "And this is how you repay me!?"

The shadow blocked every blow but was being driven back quickly, but these heavy blows were going to tire Ganondorf out. The shadow just had to wait for his creator to get clumsy. Ganondorf's blade slipped from the Master Sword after the fifth blow and the shadow took his opportunity to slice at his creator. He managed to cut him on the leg and was forced backwards as quickly as the blow landed.

"Enough!" Ganondorf shouted and he floated to the center of the room. "I will not play games with you!" He lifted his sword, and from the edge of it, a ball of energy flung towards the shadow. The shadow raised the Master Sword and caught the ball of energy, with a swing he flung it back. After a brief back and forth the shadow had gotten a rhythm down and the ball hit his creator square in the chest. Ultimately it was a horribly weak way for him to attempt to fight. The shadow was given an open opportunity to cut him again while he was down. He drove the Master Sword into his creators torso. Ganondorf gasped as blood dribbled from his mouth and he fell backwards, limp.

* * *

The Chamber of Sages was in an uproar. Sages were cheering and hugging each other. Malon laid back, relieved to see Link was safe. Impa approached her. "Your baby." She said, offering her out for Malon to hold.

Malon gasped, the newborn was a deep, stony grey color like her father. A tuft of white hair brushed her forehead. She writhed discontentedly in her blankets and Malon caught a glimpse here and there of dark red eyes when her eyes would briefly open. "Would you like to feed her?" Impa asked and helped Malon sit up and position her baby to nurse her.

She embraced the infant tearfully. "Welcome to the world little one, your father just made it a brighter one for you."

* * *

The shadow looked down at the pathetic body of his creator for a moment and then walked to the other side of the room to Zelda. Her eyes were open and she was breathing heavily. "You... you did it." She said.

"Of course." He offered her his hand to help her up. She had to lean against him as they headed towards the stairs to make their way down.

"I was... wrong... about you." She said, to the shadow's surprise he felt a tear hit his shoulder. "I called you...a monster. And you saved us all..."

The shadow smiled. "I'm sure I made the going harder for you, and I killed someone very important to you. I'm sorry, I didn't know back then."

Above them the ceiling started to shake. "He's... trying to crush... us." Zelda gasped.

"Hang on!" The shadow yelled and threw Zelda onto his back to carry her down the stairs. He skidded down two or three before regaining his balance every once in a while as he tried to run.

"Leave me. I'm slowing you down." Zelda demanded.

"Sorry Princess, not a chance." They rounded a corner and a large piece of the stairs crumbled in front of them.

"I said leave me!"

"We can make it."

He backed up, he felt Zelda's grip tighten on his shoulders. He ran down the stairs and leapt off the last one, plummeting towards the stairs far below them. They both screamed as they careened towards their landing. Zelda let go of the shadow's shoulders and tumbled down the stairs. She grunted as she hit her head. The shadow landed on one of his feet, the other landed two steps forward and he heard a crunch as his knee bent at an odd angle. He grimaced and righted himself, limping towards the unconscious princess. "Zelda..." He gently patted hr cheek to try and wake her, the cut on her forehead left a small trickle of blood running down her face. The staircase in front of them crumbled away. No getting down that way. "Please wake up, wake up!" He begged.

He shook her shoulders a bit and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up past him and gasped, throwing up her hands. A boulder struck a blue shield of light that had enveloped them. and continued it's descent around them.

"Keep that up." He ordered.

"I can't hold it for long." She said desperately.

"Hold on!" With no other warning he wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled them off the side of the staircase to plummet to the ground.

"What are you doing!?" Zelda panicked.

"Just keep that shield up!" He yelled back. They were falling faster than he expected.

"I don't know if it works that way!"

"We're about to find out!"

The ground rushed up to meet them and the magic shield shattered on impact with a sound like broken glass. Zelda landed on top of the shadow, they looked each other in the face. Both were alive. They both began to laugh. He hugged her to him in a joyful embrace. "We're alive! We're alive!" They were very hurt, the shadow had a very pronounced limp from his injured knee, Zelda still weakened and the cut on her face still bleeding. But the two were positively giddy to have survived.


	32. Is This The End?

AN: Wow, So sorry for the long hiatus guys, life has been crazy! A really special thanks to Mr. Guest Review for his review. Constructive feedback is always super welcome and helps me become a better writer. I will be taking your critiques to heart and trying to detail the action a bit better especially in this chapter (The big boss fight!). Thanks to everyone who's followed and reviewed this story it is not over yet (even though this chapter may look like an ending) I just wanted to express extra gratitude. With that, please enjoy!

* * *

The two had to lean against each other as they made their way past the debris of the fallen palace. They were still breathlessly giddy about their own survival. They both jumped in surprise as a pile in the center shifted. The shadow looked at Zelda. "Stay back, I'll check it out."

He limped towards the rubble, climbing onto a pile trying to get a closer look when he was thrown back. Ganondorf came rising from the pile and their eyes locked. He let out a loud, vengeful roar as his body morphed into a giant, evil beast. The shadow heard Zelda scream behind him. How was he going to fight this thing? He drew the Master Sword and stumbled forward with his injured knee. The monster swung both of his blades wildly in a show of power before advancing towards the shadow.

"Alright, let's end this." The shadow grimaced and leaned his weight on his good leg. He rolled forward to avoid the beast as it stepped towards him and he sliced at the monsters leg, bringing him down to one knee for a moment. The shadow was struggling to stand up as the monster turned around on him. A rock struck the beast in the back of the head and he turned around. Behind him, Zelda was on her feet with another rock readied in her hand. He assessed that the shadow with the Master Sword was the bigger threat and turned back to find he was gone.

Ganon scanned the area for any movement among the rubble and then turned back to see Zelda's skirt slip behind a crumbled pillar. He began to advance on her when a sharp pain ran up his spine. He was momentarily paralyzed as the shadow had sliced at a soft spot at the tip of his tail. The shadow stumbled and Zelda ran to his side as the beast turned on them again. Zelda placed her hand on top of the shadow's and steadied the hilt of the Master Sword. "Together this time." She said and as the beast began to charge at them. The shadow nodded and they rushed towards the beast. The great monster raised his sword to strike as the two rushed forward. They barreled between his legs and struck the weak spot on the tail. The monster threw his head back and cried behind him. The shadow gasped as he realized Zelda wasn't with him anymore. She was standing behind the monster, a beam of light was emanating from her hands, holding Ganon to the ground. "I can't hold him for long! Deliver the final blow." The shadow stumbled up to look his creator in the eye, panting. He grimaced at the pathetic beast he had once worshiped, and plunged the Master Sword into his face. "Sages, now!" Zelda cried before weakly crumpling, her energy fully spent.

* * *

As Malon watched Link plunge the sword in the face of the monster, she gripped their baby tighter in silent prayer. The sages raised their arms in unison and began to chant. A bright new light circled around the thrashing beast as the Sages called on the goddesses to seal away the evil. Malon cried out. "Wait! He's still in there!"

* * *

Zelda reached for the shadow as he and Ganon began to gradually fade from the world. She screamed and she heard him cry out as well. Their fingertips barely grazed each other when with a loud sound like rushing wind, Ganon and the shadow were gone. Zelda threw herself to her knees, head in her hands, and screamed.

* * *

"Where did he go?" Malon asked them. "Where did you send him?" The sages all turned to look at her, sympathetically, they were all very quiet. The little green girl shuffled her feet uncomfortably.

Rauru, the old man, came forward. "When we banished Ganon, his magic was undone. That shadow of his could be in the sacred realm with him, or..."

"He's just... gone?" Tears began to well in Malon's eyes as she held her baby closer. What was this girl going to do in the world where she had no father? There would be no one who even looked like her, who could understand. "I... I need him back. We need him..." Malon couldn't speak for the lump in her throat.

Impa placed her hand on Malon's shoulder. "We can't do that if we don't know where he is. He was made with very evil magic, the kind we cannot do."

"But he wasn't evil." Malon bargained. He never even got to hold his child. It didn't seem fair that he had given up everything for a world that had never wanted a thing to do with him. The very sun had scorned his presence and he had rescued it all. "This isn't fair." She sobbed.

Impa stroked Malon's head. "Let's send you home." She said.

* * *

The shadow opened his eyes.


	33. Moving Forward

"Where am I?" The void around him was so blindingly white. It was like the sunlight he had never been able to stand in. "Is anyone there?" His own voice echoed back to him. He looked at his hands and patted down his own body. He was still himself and all there but there was nothing but this brightness. He took a step forward even though it didn't look like he was standing on any kind of ground. His footstep echoed loudly across the vast nothingness.

"Good hero." A voice behind him addressed him. It sounded like several women's voices speaking at once. He turned around and shielded his eyes. The woman before him was more blinding that the white void itself. When he could manage to look he saw that she looked as though she were made of gold with thick, long golden hair and eyes that seemed to change color from red to blue to green. She was naked and her body was perfectly formed, like a fine sculpture. "We must thank you for answering the call of the Master Sword, and for reuniting the Triforce with your pure wish." The many voices echoed into a low rumble in the distance and they spoke with high authority.

The shadow, still averting his gaze without trying to appear rude didn't know how to accept their thanks. "Please." He said instead, "Where am I?"

"In the Chamber of the Goddesses, the throne room of the Sacred Realm. You are our personal guest. We will grant you one more wish, anything your heart could desire will be yours, if it is within our power."

The shadow didn't have to think very long about his request. "I wish to return home, to my woman and child." He said immediately.

"Of course you knew such a request would not be so easy." The goddesses answered. "The exit to the Sacred Realm lies in the Chamber of Sages, therein lies the link between the Sacred Realm and Hyrule where your family awaits. The Sacred Realm has been as ravaged as Hyrule by the evil of Ganondorf and there are but a few places within this land that are free of his corruption still. Our power does not extend beyond this throne room."

The shadow felt his whole body slump in defeat. "What good are your wishes then?" He demanded. "Is there no way home?"

The Goddesses thought a moment on his question. "If you can clear the temples in the Sacred Realm of the monsters that have infected them so that the sages may take their roles here, the Chamber of Sages would be open to use as you please. However, this may take a while."

"Then I will do that." The shadow said, he turned to march away from the useless Goddesses. Again he was being used, but this time he wasn't doing Ganondorf's dirty work or acting as Zelda's useful tool. He had his own goals now, he was in charge of his own destiny. He reached behind him for the Master Sword and his hand gripped thin air. He gritted his teeth, it must have been left back in Hyrule.

"Hero... You still have one wish." The Goddesses reminded him.

Had it been there plan to use him this way all along? To offer him a wish they couldn't grant before sending him on their errand? He didn't stop walking or turn back to face them again. "A sword." He answered impatiently. When he felt a weight fill the scabbard on his back he marched out of the throne room, prepared to never look back.

* * *

Zelda slowly picked herself up and wiped the tears out of her eyes. When she pulled her hand away there was blood on it as well. She had forgotten about the cut on her forehead in all the excitement. She stumbled forward and picked up the Master Sword off the ground. She could barely lift it and the blade dragged across the ground. She looked up, and for the first time in seven years the sky over Hyrule Castle was blue. It should have made her feel hopeful, but there was still a tremendous weight on her chest. As she made her way to the Temple of Time she took in all the work that needed to be done to rebuild. The market square was devastated.

She entered the Temple and Malon was sitting on the steps near the pedestal of the Master Sword, the baby she rocked in her arms was as dark as the shadow. "Oh..." Zelda gasped, interrupting the tender scene. Malon looked up and clutched the baby closer to her. Zelda looked at the farm girl with a soft pity.

"Not this one, Princess. You've had your share of my family today." She glanced between Zelda and the sword in her hands.

"You don't know what this child will be when it grows, its father was Ganondorf's making. I'm sorry Malon, but we're not always our parents children." Zelda clutched the Master Sword tighter. It was too cruel, first the shadow of Link, and now his child. She didn't care that Malon would hate her forever, she truly deserved it, she just wanted her to know how very sorry she was.

"She." Malon corrected, curling herself over the baby to protect her. "I wont let you take my daughter. You'll have to cut me down with her!"

Zelda relaxed her grip on the sword. She felt a lump forming in her throat as tears welled into her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to do it, despite the risk that the baby's lineage brought with her. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault" the tears spilled down her cheeks. She dropped the Master Sword and fell to her knees. "I'm so sorry for everything. For getting Link to open the Door in the first place, I was a stupid child. So stupid. Everything's my fault." She sobbed, "And that shadow, he was a good man, I didn't mean for this to happen at all."

She stopped as she felt Malon's hand gently touch her shoulder. She looked up into Malon's tear-filled eyes. "I understand." She said before the two women embraced each other as best they could with the baby between them. She squirmed and fussed in Malon's hold.

When they had collected themselves Zelda picked the Master Sword up and headed into the once sealed chamber. "Ganondorf is not dead, he's not human enough to die anymore." She dropped the Sword back into the pedestal. "The sages merely contained him within the Sacred Realm. We must re-seal this chamber to be certain he can never come back here. Hyrule may not survive him a second time."

Malon nodded seriously. "We can't let Link's sacrifice be for nothing." Zelda winced at the use of the name for the shadow. She would never be able to accept it. When she left the chamber she gathered up the Sacred Stones from their pedestal and played the Song of Time. The door slowly rolled closed.

"I'm sorry there isn't more I can do for you. I understand your ranch has seen disaster but nearly all of Hyrule itself is in ruin and it will be costly to rebuild. I can't compensate your family for your hardships, and you gave this kingdom so much."

"Just let us be and we'll pull our ranch back together like the rest of the kingdom has to. I don't want anything from you."

* * *

Malon carried her baby out of the ruined market square. She carefully climbed over the damaged bridge where Epona was faithfully waiting for her. Her baby slept in her arms and she took the horse by her lead. Still not recovered from her delivery and too sore to ride a horse, they walked back to Kakriko Village together as the dawn was just breaking. Birds began to sing in the trees and the morning dew dampened the hem of Malon's skirt. Her baby slept soundly in her arms. The air felt clearer and lighter as if a weight had been lifted off the whole world's shoulders. Malon took a deep breath and took it all in. She alone truly enjoyed the first morning without Ganondorf, the rest of the world was yet unaware. She made it back to the house in Kakriko by noon, she had covered her baby's face as the sun rose in case she was as sun averse as her father.

Talon stood up when Malon came through the door. Ingo was right behind him and they pulled her into a family hug. The two brothers wiped away tears of joy when they stepped back to allow Anju her own greeting hug. "We've missed you terribly." She said, eyeing the now squirming bundle in Malon's arms.

Malon's heart skipped a beat as she looked at her father. "Your granddaughter."

She presented as she uncovered the child. Anju and Ingo both covered their mouths to stifle a gasp, Talon appeared speechless. "Hmph, oh well." Otto said from the table in typical fashion.

Talon stepped forward, taking the baby in his large hands, he cradled her gently close to him. "She's beautiful Malon, I can already see she has your nose." he said, shakily. The baby had settled again and quietly snuggled against Talon's chest to fall asleep. "Have you thought of a name, then?"

"Marin." Malon answered confidently.

Talon looked up from the child in surprise. "Your mother's..." He looked back from Malon down to the baby again, he could see him wrestling some quiet conflict in his own mind before nodding. "It's a good name, a good name." He said, handing her back to Malon.

"I'm going back to the ranch." Malon announced. "Ganondorf is gone and it's time we rebuilt. I have to leave this place and move forward. You're all welcome to come with me."

"Where's Link?" Anju asked.

Malon paused and bit her lip. "Gone." She said, shaking her head. "Gone for good this time." She didn't look at them, but turned and walked out the door, shielding her infant from the sun as she went.


	34. A Rocky Road

AN: Wow you guys I am so sorry! School has been crazy this year and my time gets stretched in so many directions right now. I did not mean to leave this story on a cliff-hanger and woah, putting up the last chapter I realized I can't let this story drag out to it's conclusion now. Summer vacation is less than a week away for me so get fired up for the conclusion! I know I am! My continuous thanks to everyone who reads, reviews follows, and favorites this story. You guys are the reason that, over two years on, I'm still here writing. I'm so glad people love these characters as much as I do and are really interested in their struggles. ~Love, Megan

* * *

Of course all of them followed. Talon, Ingo, Anju, and even Otto followed Malon back to the ranch. They had made it by evening to find the whole place in ruins. The house and barn were burn to ash. The horse corral was just an overgrown pasture of weeds and the decayed, dilapidated fence posts. On the edge of the ranch, Malon could make out the rubble where the old silo had once stood. The back wall the had once protected the ranch had also toppled over. Epona reared up as though she understood the damage of her once home. Talon let out a strangled cry. He and his wife had built this home together. "Where are we even going to start on this mess?" He asked.

Malon looked around helplessly at the debris that had been made of her home. She turned around to see all eyes on her. They were waiting for her to take charge. She clutched Marin closer to her. "We should start with the barn, we can keep Anju's cuckoos down below and sleep in the loft. We can clear out the pasture and turn it into a field. Hyrule doesn't need horses, her people need food, and we need the money to rebuild. Next we can rebuild the silo. Once we're established we can purchase a few cows to get back to producing our famous Lon Lon Milk. It'll take a few years to get all that but once we have what we need in place we can rebuild the house. A house big enough for all of us to live as a family." Talon beamed proudly at her.

"I've got your back, Malon." Uncle Ingo said. "This is a good plan." There was still so much unsaid between them after their seven years together but Malon could see in his eyes the desire he had to make things right again. For all the hardships of her childhood, Malon forgave him completely in that moment.

Marin began crying in her arms and Malon found a patch of rubble to rest against to nurse. Finally able to rest after all that had happened, Malon closed her eyes while rocking Marin against the ruined wall of her childhood home. "I'll be truthful. I'm not sure we're going to survive a year in this place. But we can't stay in Kakariko and live without helping ourselves. This land was ours, we have to make it ours again." Malon felt a gentle support propping her up as she dozed off. Her red hair fell in a curtain around mother and child, containing them momentarily in their own little world.

* * *

The outer walls of a barn could be raised in a day once the wood was gathered. The interior and roof took a few weeks more of work. Talon and Ingo were farther on in years than when they had first built the ranch but with Malon, Otto, and Anju to help with the heavy lifting they make quick work of the project. During the building of the barn Marin had rolled out of the shadows of the canvas tarp they had hung as a temporary shelter. To the relief of everyone, sunlight seemed to have no ill effects on her. Talon and Otto helped Anju collect her cuckoos from Kakariko and transport them to Lon Lon Ranch using Epona.

In Hyrule Castle Town, a small military barracks had been built in the place of the old Hyrule Castle. Zelda first recruited new soldiers and then employed them in rebuilding the market square. Refugees that had for so long been evacuated to Kakariko were glad to finally return home and make Hyrule Castle Town a bustling commerce city once again. The neighborhoods surrounding the market grew up from what returners could cobble together to make a small living. The streets were a chaotic labyrinth of densely packed slums that stank of unwashed and sickly people. The soldiers Zelda had employed had a difficult time keeping crime off the streets.

Malon more than a bit surprised to receive an invitation to Zelda's wedding before the summer. They had just finished planting a field of wheat and another of various vegetables and in the meantime were making a modest profit on their egg sales. "Have you ever heard of this prince?" Anju asked Malon, scanning over the invitation.

Malon shook her head. "I never thought she would marry." She answered. "She just seemed so hard and self-sufficient, besides, I can't imagine her moving on from... the man she loved." Malon had never told them the whole story, they had never asked. She wanted to preserve their memory of her Link as a good man, not only for her daughters sake, but for his. Hadn't he earned the right to only be remembered for his good deeds?

It became obvious with Prince Dimitri's first visit why Zelda has chosen a foreigner and a stranger to help her rule the kingdom. The Prince had many brothers and was not likely to inherit his own throne, his offer to Zelda was very generous. He brought with him a small, handsomely dressed army and a large amount of food, wine and building materials. He was extremely wealthy, and as a wedding gift negotiated by Zelda, he brought his entire wealth with him to Hyrule. The month before the wedding, the market saw a return to it's former glory, Dimitri's soldiers patrolled the streets to reduce crime. Wealth generated seemingly overnight and the summer after Queen Zelda married King Regent Dimitri (who Zelda refused to allow the full title of King in her attempt to preserve a Hylian identity) the slums were being replaced by proper streets with proper houses built along them. Zelda began enlisting scholars to preserve the Hylian religion and set them up with housing on the Temple of Time grounds. Lon Lon Ranch also benefited from Hyrule's new-found prosperity but the marriage itself troubled Malon. _"I love Hyrule, and nothing else."_ Zelda's voice had echoed in her mind during the week of festivities. Malon knew Zelda had resigned herself to a life of unhappiness for the good of her country.

* * *

The first temple of the Sacred Realm sat at the top of some great plateau that had been hard to reach by climbing a sheer rock face. Luckily for the shadow, the sun here wasn't a barrier to outdoor activities. From the moment he entered he had felt an unwelcoming presence watching over him. The walls were covered in thick, tough vines that were difficult to cut through to pass through doors and reach deeper into the temple. Every time he cut a large vine, the whole temple rumbled, as though the temples very integrity relied on the plants within.

When he reached the central chamber he saw why. Where the vines converged in the center, a great Baba plant stood, mouth open, an eye peering behind the sharp teeth. It let out a loud roar and lunged at the shadow who jumped back to dodge. When it opened its mouth, the stalk containing the eye was exposed. It's gaze followed him as he scrambled away from the great head of the plant. The plant lunged quickly at him again and he rolled out of the way but this time the plant butted into him, knocking him off-balance. He wondered if it would be able to follow him so easily if he cut out that eye.

This time he stood up and braced himself for the plant to lunge, sword and shield at the ready. The monster read back its' ugly head and lunged to strike directly at the shadow. It was too quick. Before he understood what had happened he tried raising his shield but it was gone. He looked down and realized his entire right arm, from just above the elbow was gone. A large amount of blood was oozing from the wound. The shock of the sight was almost too much, with every heartbeat the wound was spurting more blood. It was way to much. The corners of his vision began to recede. He was going to black out and die here. "No!" He said, trying to force himself to stay upright, the plant swung forward to take a bigger bite out of him, and in one frantic swing with his sword arm the stalk holding the eye was severed. The plant reared back and roared again, flailing uncontrollably. A green, viscous liquid was spurting from the stalk and the more the plant flailed, the more of it came pouring out until the thing finally rolled over, and moved no more.

The shadow laid against the wall of shrinking vines as a familiar blue light appeared in the center of the room. This time, however, instead of his stepping into it, a little green-haired girl came out of it. The last thing he saw was her running to his side.

When he first woke up tiny hands pressed against his chest. "Don't try to sit up!" Said a frantic little girls voice. "You've had quite a shock. I did what I could to stitch you up but you lost a lot of blood. You're not ready to move yet!"

"Where am I?" He asked, his voice sounded frail and he still felt extremely lightheaded. He raised his hands to his throbbing temples and was frustrated to only feel his left hand follow his command. Then he remembered and sat up quickly. He looked at the bloody bandaged stump where his arm had been and screamed.

"I told you not to sit up!" The girl said, distraught at her stubborn patient. "You're in the Forest Temple of the Sacred Realm, You have only four more to go to reach the Chamber of Sages. That's connected to The Temple of Time in Hyrule."

He laid back, dizzy again. "How do your Goddesses expect me to continue this task for them with one arm? If they're so powerful and have you what do they need me for?"

"I'm not sorry." The girl said, this surprised him, she had been so gentle with him at first. "You killed my best friend. You might have saved Hyrule but I'm not sorry you have to go through challenges to get back there."

"Oh, this again." He said closing his eyes, trying to raise both hands to his dizzy head once more. "Look I know an apology wont bring him back but if it means anything to you, I wish I had died and not him. I am a tool, I carried out the task I was put to like a good tool, like I'm doing now. If I could go back and fight that fight again I would have let him run me through without a struggle. I've made everyone's lives worse-"

"Shut up!" The girl stood up and stamped her foot. "I'm tired of your pity party. You've been saying the same apology to everyone like you want to be forgiven but then you go on trying to get back to some happy family you have waiting for you? What do you give up to show you're sorry? What right do you have to a happy life? You better earn it as hard as you can! You can't just kill someone and take his happiness for nothing!"

"You're right." The shadow gave in. "But first, let me get a little sleep here. I'll clear out all your temples or die trying. If I'm going to pretend to be a hero, I better play the part. I won't be sorry for myself anymore. Thanks for saving me from bleeding out, I don't know your name."

"Saria." The girl said.


	35. Home Again

It didn't matter how tightly Malon braided Marin's hair each morning, by the end of the day it always became tangled. The girl ran wild throughout Hyrule field on horseback or on foot. She always helped with the morning and evening chores like a good girl, but once she was given free reign for the afternoon she was off climbing trees, getting stuck in brambles, or tramping through mud. On this night she was unusually quiet while Malon picked a twig out of her long, white hair. She began gently running a brush through it once all the debris was out. "Are you excited for tomorrow?" Malon asked, trying to prompt a cheery response from her child.

Once a month, they took a trip to Hyrule Castle to make a delivery to Queen Zelda and then spent a day at the market. Marin had become close friends with Prince Daphnes II, Zelda's own son. Marin was two years older than Daphnes but over the years they had gotten to be good friends. Marin shook her head. "Mama, am I a freak?" She asked quietly.

Malon dropped her daughter's braid, she was struck speechless for a moment. "Who told you that?" She was trying to keep her voice steady.

"Last time we were in the market... I don't know who he was." Marin said. "I never seen nobody like me before."

"You haven't seen anyone like you." Malon lovingly corrected her daughter's grammar. "And that doesn't make you a freak, it makes you unique." She picked up where she left off on her daughters braid.

"Tell me something about my papa, what was he like?" Marin asked, "Something you haven't told me before."

Something she hadn't told Marin before, it was a game Marin had been playing since last year. Malon was regretfully starting to run out of things to tell Marin about. She closed her eyes for a moment. What was something she could tell Marin? There were plenty of things she wouldn't tell her, how he had killed the Hero of Time, how they had met through his lie, how afraid he had been of touching her at all, how he had been forced into heroism, how he was afraid Marin would end up like him... No, Malon wanted her daughter to have a positive view of her father. She thought hard for a moment.

"Your father was...afraid." She said, surprising herself. "He wanted so badly to be seen as a good person, and he was always afraid he wasn't measuring up." She continued. "He was hard on himself and never thought he deserved rewards for his efforts."

"W-was he a good person?" Marin's shoulders were shaking slightly.

Malon wrapped her arms around her from behind. "He was a very good person."

"You said before he was brave. How can he be brave and afraid?" Marin asked.

Malon finished the braid and tied it off with a ribbon. "To be brave, you have to be willing to face your fears." Marin stood up and turned around. She had his eyes, not just the color, but the shape as well. "You are so much like him." she hugged her. "Come on, let's get to bed."

* * *

Otto helped Malon load up the cart with milk and produce while Talon prepared the horse to pull the cart. Malon and Marin rode off just after dawn and made it to the Castle gate just before noon. Prince Daphnes was there to meet them at the door. He excitedly ran to Marin when she jumped down from her seat on the cart. Malon lost track of her daughter as palace aids came to help her unload her cart. The last thing she could see was the old, red scarf Marin wore as a belt trailing behind the two children running over a hill. It didn't matter, the two played safely in the open field of the castle grounds all the time. They were under the careful watch of the guards at all times here. Malon made her way inside to visit with Zelda.

The Queen was sitting in her courtyard, reading a letter. There was a troubled look on her face. When Malon was announced, Zelda stood up. "Malon, it's wonderful to see you again." Zelda greeted her friend with a hug. "It's been positively boring around here with my husband away." She dismissed the staff from the courtyard.

Malon glanced at the letter left on the bench, she couldn't make out what it said from where she was standing. "Zelda, you seem troubled." She said. Once the staff were gone they could speak candidly.

Zelda also looked disdainfully in the direction of the letter. "That's a marriage proposal, for Daphnes. Dimitri's sister has just had a daughter. They say they're hoping to 'strengthen the bonds' between our two countries but what they really want is to leach sovereignty away from Hyrule more and more. I am surrounded by Dimitri's soldiers, servants, and even worse... occasionally his family. A marriage would all but erase our borders and Hyrule would cease to exist." Zelda said, forlornly "I'm losing my country. I have had meetings with Zora and Goron alike and have even recruited a number of Hylians to try and rebuild Hyrule's army and dispense with these foreign soldiers, but we're still small and poorly outfitted and it is not wholly a secret from my husband. His family is moving against me and trying to make it look like a friendly marriage contract."

"What are you going to do?" Malon asked, sympathetically. Over the years she had come to pity Zelda. The role of queen had made her a weary woman, Her composure was rock solid as ever but her spirit was waning.

"I need a marriage that legitimizes Hyrule. A connection to a strong, wealthy, Hylian family. I would have waited until they were much older to ask but this new proposal ties my hands... Malon, would you accept a betrothal between Marin and Daphnes.

Malon's heart sank.

* * *

"Father's away on business but look!" Daphnes opened his satchel just enough for Marin to peer inside. There were three stones and an Ocarina inside. "Mama's been looking so sad lately, and when I told father I was worried about her he gave me these. He said if I used them, it would make her happy again." Dphnes beamed at Marin. He had a plump, pale face framed by soft blond curls and pale blue eyes.

"What are we supposed to do with them?" Marin asked.

"That's the tricky part. We have to sneak into the temple of time and put the stones on the altar and then I'll play a special song on this Ocarina. I don't know what's supposed to happen next but he said it would make mama happy."

The noon bell rang in the market.

"Let's go while the scribes are eating lunch, we probably won't get caught then!" Marin said. She could run faster than Daphnes and the poor boy was almost dragged along behind her when she took him by the arm.

* * *

The Shadow climbed the stairway to the Chamber of Sages. At last he had made it to the heart of the Sacred Realm. Hopefully now, the Goddesses would finally grant him his wish to return home. He had given more than they asked. He touched the fresh bandages wrapped around his shortened arm. The phantom pains had kept him up for many long nights and it had been hard to adapt to his new physical limitations. What saddened him most was the thought of his daughter. He wondered if he could hold the precious newborn safely like this. He wondered what Malon would say, would she still want him? It had only been a few weeks, a month perhaps, since he had gone, he wondered if that would be enough to change things between them.

When he opened the door to the Chamber of Sages his heart sank. Standing in the center of the room, was Ganondorf. He didn't move when the shadow entered the chamber, he was staring into one of the waterfalls. The Shadow drew his sword.

"Hush, don't you see it?" Ganondorf pointed to the waterfall. "The Sacred Realm is about to be open to Hyrule once more, and I will be released into that world once more." He turned and looked at the Shadow, sizing him up. He paid extra attention to his right arm. "I see you ran into some trouble on your way here. Most unfortunate, I wonder if you'll live up to her expectations."

"Who-?"

Ganondorf interrupted. "She has been asking about you for quite some time, curious little thing. She has a picture painted in her mind of a virtuous hero, like a prince from a storybook. Poor thing." He drew his sword. "At least she'll never get to meet you."

The two charged at each other.

* * *

No one paid them any mind as they entered the Temple of Time. They were used to seeing the Prince run around with the strange, shadow black farm girl with red eyes and white hair, she had lost her novelty years ago because Malon had refused to hide her from society.

When they approached the altar Daphnes opened his satchel and both children were startled as the gems sprang into place, all three were surrounded with a slight glow. "Hurry, play the song!" Marin urged.

Daphnes lifted the Ocarina to his lips and played a few notes. It was a short song but Marin felt a small power rush through her. The stones on the altar glowed even more brightly and the two had to shield their eyes. The door behind the altar slowly slid open. Marin took Daphnes hand. "Come on!" She pulled him towards the door.

Daphnes pulled back. "Marin I don't think we should, I've never seen this door open before and mama brings me here all the time." He hesitated.

"Don't you want to know what's inside?" Marin asked.

"It's the Sacred Realm." Daphnes answered. "I learned about it from my history tutor. There's a bad man in there."

"Why hasn't he come out then?" Marin asked. "Come on, let's take a look." She approached the dark room beyond the door more slowly this time. A cool breeze came out the door. Marin hesitated, her heart fluttered. _"To be brave, you have to be willing to face your fears."_ She heard her mother's words come back to her, took a deep breath, and stepped into the doorway.

* * *

The sound of swords echoed through the Chamber of Sages. Ganondorf was delivering powerful blows, putting the Shadow on the defensive and forcing him to spend his strength blocking with his sword instead of attacking. His one-handed blocks were beginning to falter and as soon as he found an opening, he slipped around his creator. The Shadow managed to slash his creator on the cheek as he passed by. While Ganondorf roared in pain and touched his cheek, the Shadow took the opportunity to thrust under his armor from behind.

Ganondorf cried out again, and this time blood spurted from his mouth. He whirled around furiously and the Shadow lost his grip on his sword. It was still caught inside his creator's armor. The hate and fury in Ganondorf's eyes revealed his urgent need to kill the Shadow. "Everything you are is a mistake!" The Shadow leapt back as Ganondorf swung his sword down. It hammered against the floor with a thunderous sound. "I should have never left you that day, I should have stayed in the Water Temple and killed you myself!" He took a powerful horizontal swipe this time, as the Shadow jumped back again. The sword fell loose from the armor and a large amount of blood began rapidly dripping from the wound it had made. "I won't make the same mistake twice, I'll kill you myself!" Another powerful swing, more blood poured from the wound. "Then I'll go back to Hyrule, I'll crush your daughter's skull in with my bare hands!" This time his swing seemed to have less power to it, the Shadow continued to leap away, he had to get back to his sword. "And then I'll take her mother and I'll-" As he was shouting this next threat he swung downward, a clumsy, weak swing of his sword. His body followed after.

The massive blood loss had proved too much for the strong Gerudo, he was finally defeated. The Shadow picked up his sword. He looked at the body. This time, he had to be sure. He stepped closer to his creator, ready to swing his sword down and sever his head from his body. Once he had loved this man as a child loves his father, the only world he knew then was a dark prison cell and cruel keepers. The only light in his life had been this man.

It wasn't a hard act to carry out, he had been taught a better kind of love after his time in his cell. He swung his sword down and Ganondorf's head rolled a short distance from his body. A bright light filled the room.

* * *

"No!" Malon said. "You can't ask this of me Zelda, she's only a girl."

"My son doesn't have the luxury of being only a boy, he is a prince, others are going to be vying for a betrothal before he is ten." Zelda answered. "I need someone who will be on his side, someone who won't use him."

"They'll both be used, that's all politics is, the act of turning people into tools! You were very good at it before you were queen, if I remember." Malon was furious. She knew her words would sting but for the moment, she didn't care.

Zelda flinched. "You're right, I'm sorry. I ask too much from your family."

"If you're afraid Daphnes is in danger, you could send him to my ranch in secret. At least until he's older."

"No, I can't keep him away from Dimitri, and besides, it might put you in danger. I shouldn't have asked." Zelda hung her head apologetically. "I don't know what else to do, Malon. I keep trying to fix my mistakes and making new ones. I was a child when I led Link to open the Sacred Realm for Ganondorf. It feels as though the Goddesses never forgive."

Malon put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't know what to say to comfort her friend, and she knew in her shoes, she wouldn't be able to handle her position nearly as well.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a scribe from the Temple who ran in frantically and ignored formality for brevity. "Your highness!" He paused to catch his breath. "The farm girl has summoned Ganondorf.

Both women stood up, immediately panicked. "Marin would never-"

"Maybe not but let's not waste time on that now." Zelda said and the two ran through the castle ground to the Temple of Time.

* * *

"Touch it."

"I'm not going to touch it, _you_ touch it."

"Baby!"

"Are not!"

"Fine, I'll touch it."

The two children were sat in the now unsealed chamber looking at a magnificent old sword stuck in a pedestal. The hilt shone a deep blue color and the blade was so white it almost gave off its own light. Marin reached out, and touched the hilt. Nothing happened. "Haha! See, it's fine." She stuck her tongue out at Daphnes. She put both hands around the hilt and acted like she was about to pull it out.

"What are you doing!" Daphnes eyes grew wide and fearful. "Marin we should go, that's here for a reason, I'm sure we should leave it alone." He pleaded.

"I just want to see it." Marin said, getting ready to pull it out of the pedestal. It felt heavy.

"What are you doing!?" A voice from across the room boomed through the chamber. Both children jumped, startled by the scribe who caught them in the chamber. When Marin jerked, she pulled the sword and it slid out of the pedestal. All three people in the chamber cried out in surprise as the chamber filled with a bright, blue light.

When Marin opened her eyes she was standing in front of a frightening man. His skin was the same, stony dark grey as her own. He was staring right at her with his red eyes but she couldn't read the expression on his face. His hair was black, unlike hers, and it hung long and straight around his shoulders. He was breathing heavily. Marin was too afraid to move. He reached out to touch her with one hand and Marin noticed for the first time he had only one. She struggled to lift the sword and pointed it between them. "Stay back!" She warned. The man took a step back, she couldn't read the emotions on his face.

Behind her, Daphnes whimpered.


	36. Fin

(AN: I know I know, I promised to finish this story this Summer you guys and here we are at the end of August with school just starting again but here it is. I really hope you enjoy. Thanks to everyone who read this story and reviewed it or even just enjoyed it. Epilogue coming soon, well... "soon" in a way you guys might have gotten used to from me. I really love you guys for putting up with my drawn out updates.)

* * *

There was no mistaking it, the girl trying to hold the Master Sword between them had to be his daughter. How long had he been gone? To him, it had only seemed like a few weeks. His hair fell over his shoulder when he leaned forward, had it always been that long? He reached out and the girl raised the sword. He dropped his hand and smirked as the sword dipped. He had hoped to come home and hold an infant in his arm. How could he have been gone so long?

"Marin..." The boy behind her whined. The girl turned her eyes away.

"Marin." The Shadow repeated. She looked back at him, raising the sword again. "How old are you Marin?" He asked.

"Seven." The girl answered. She took a slight step back and fixed her grip on the sword.

This time The Shadow stumbled back. A pained noise had escaped from the back of his throat. Seven years he'd been gone! It wasn't fair.

Across the room, a loud scream interrupted the group. The scribe that had caught the children in the chamber in the first place had apparently reclaimed his composure and was ready to sound the alarm. "Somebody! Come quickly! It's Ganandorf! The farm girl summoned Ganondorf!" The Shadow groaned. It was bad enough being away from home for so long, but to come back and be mistaken for his creator was too much. He didn't know how he was going to get out of this one.

The little boy behind Marin squealed in fear. Marin took a step forward with the Master Sword. "Run, Daphnes!" She yelled, "I'll hold him off."

The Shadow couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride at her bravery. She probably had to grow up strong. The guards started running into the room, crossbows drawn. The Shadow had no more time to think. He moved around the sword which was far to heavy for Marin to swing and grabbed onto her, holding her close to his chest and curling around her.

"Marin!" The boy cried. "Don't shoot! Let her go!" He felt the tiny fists as the boy pounded on his back.

Marin squirmed to get out of his grip, she even bit him, but he held fast to her. "I'm sorry." He whispered to her. A tear slipped out of his eye and landed on her cheek and she stopped struggling and looked up at him. "I wish this could have been different... I'm sorry."

"Are you...crying?" She asked.

"Lower your weapons! For the love of the Goddesses my son is up there!" The queen's commanding voice boomed through the chamber. He heard the uncomfortable shuffle of armor and the even footsteps of a confident Zelda.

The Shadow looked up and heaved a sigh of relief. "Hello again, Zelda." He smiled up at her.

"You!" She was still marching towards them, behind her, he heard a sharp, stifled cry. Malon was standing in the center of the chamber, her hands clasped over her mouth, he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks already. His heart skipped a beat. "Do you know how long you've been gone? And here you come back and sound a great big alarm! Don't you know how to do _anything_ without making trouble for me in the process?" She stood over him now, arms crossed. The boy, Daphnes, had fled behind her skirts. He could see how the years had weighed heavy on her. Her countenance was harder, her eyes were more tired. Her mouth was turned down in a stern frown as she stood over him

He leaned back and released Marin from his grip, she retreated with Daphnes behind Zelda. "I don't know Your Highness, I suppose it's my just in me to still be your monster." He smiled, somewhat bitterly, though it wasn't entirely Zelda's fault. For a moment they just stared at each other and Marin peeked from around Zelda's skirts.

"Leave us." Zelda ordered to the guards. They quietly marched out of the room. When they had some privacy she smiled for the first time. "I can't believe I'm saying this but it's good to see you again." She said. "I never meant for you to get locked away with Ganon. I'm sorry."

* * *

Malon's heart fluttered in her chest as Zelda and Link stared each other down. When Zelda dismissed the guards she couldn't take it anymore. She flew up the steps, barely feeling the stone floor beneath her feet with each step, and flung herself on Link, her Link. He fell backwards, unable to support himself.

He wrapped his arm around her and she sobbed into his chest. They were sorrowful, relieved, joyful tears. The last seven years she had been so lonely. "Is it real this time?" She asked him as she held him closer. "I dreamed this so many nights. Is it really you?" She was trembling with excitement and a kind of nervousness. She didn't want to let go of him. "Please, please be real." Her grip became tighter.

"I'm here. I'm not leaving anymore, I promise." He stroked her hair and she noticed his arm for the first time. It was gone, just a smooth, pale grey scar in its place.

"Mama?" Marin pulled her focus away from the arm. Malon and Link both sat up to look at their confused little girl.

"Marin, come say hello to your father." Malon was still wiping the tears from her eyes.

Marin looked between the two of them. She looked confused and skeptical at first and then she threw herself into his chest, causing him to fall over again.

* * *

Zelda took Daphnes hand and walked him out of the room. "Who is he momma?" The shadow heard the boy ask.

"I'll tell you later." Zelda answered, She leaned over and picked up the Ocarina of Time. "I need you to tell me how you got this." They walked out of the Temple before the shadow could hear anymore. It wasn't important to him at the time. He wanted to focus on his family.

"What happened to your arm?" Marin asked. Before he could answer a soft breeze blew around them.

"One more wish." A hushed chorus of three voices echoed through the chamber. "As a reward for your service, we will grant you one more wish." He could think of a hundred things to wish for. His right arm back. More importantly, his seven years back to watch his daughter grow up. He looked at her, Marin, and regretted that she didn't look more like her mother. He thought of the ranch where he'd first met Malon, and the vision of sunlight his opposite had accidentally given him when they fought. He knew what he wanted.

"Alright Goddesses, grant me this then. I want to walk in sunlight with my daughter. I want us to be free from Ganondorf's stain." He didn't quite know what he was expecting from such a wish but again, a bright light surrounded him and Marin as a form of response. He looked at his left hand as the darkness was lifted from his fingertips. He was pale, as though he'd never been out in the sun, and really he never had been. Marin's face lightened and became tan. A large collection of freckles gathered across her face and shoulders. Her braid turned a dark brown color and her eyes were blue like Malon's.

Malon gasped as the light faded and started to cry again. The shadow picked up the Master Sword and tried inspecting his reflection in the blade. He met a brown eye in his reflection. Dark brown hair hung around his pale shoulders. No longer was he a shadow but he also didn't look quite like his double either, which was a relief to him. Marin looked at her own hands and her face broke into a large smile.

The shadow, no, he would need a new name of his own, he was no longer a shadow and he couldn't take Link's name anymore. First, he wanted to run outside and feel the sun on his face without pain for the first time.

Malon took his hand in hers and smiled. "Let's go home." She said.

Home, it was a good word. He dropped the Master Sword back into the pedestal took Marin's hand. Malon wrapped an arm around his waist and he rested what he had of his right arm over her shoulder as a kind of embrace. They walked out of the Temple as a family into the afternoon sun.


End file.
